An Exploration of Current and Perspective Semen Analysis and Sperm Selection for Livestock Artificial Insemination

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Artificial insemination is a crucial technology for livestock producers world-wide. This technology has afforded producers access to premier genetics without having to physically own superior sires. The improvement of this technology can have a large impact on the livestock industry, especially those sectors of the industry which rely heavily on artificial insemination. This article will review ongoing improvements being made to artificial insemination and their potential impacts. ABSTRACT: Artificial insemination of livestock has been a staple technology for producers worldwide for over sixty years. This reproductive technology has allowed for the rapid improvement of livestock genetics, most notably in dairy cattle and pigs. This field has experienced continuous improvements over the last six decades. Though much work has been carried out to improve the efficiency of AI, there are still many areas which continue to experience improvement, including semen analysis procedures, sperm selection techniques, sperm sexing technologies, and semen storage methods. Additionally, the use of AI continues to grow in beef cattle, horses, and small ruminants as the technology continues to become more efficient and yield higher pregnancy rates. In this review, AI trends in the various livestock species as well as cutting edge improvements in the aforementioned areas will be discussed at length. Future work will continue to refine the protocols which are used for AI and continue to increase pregnancy rates within all livestock species.