From Dairy Herd Advisor
Heifers are the most fertile animals on the dairy, and thus often are recommended as the highest-priority recipients of sex-sorted semen. Reproductive specialist Mel DeJarnette and a team of co-workers at Select Sires, Inc., recently performed a large data analysis of first services to compare the reproductive performance of virgin Holstein heifers inseminated with sex-sorted semen (SS) versus conventional, non-sorted semen (CS). A total of 16,587 services were evaluated. Their findings:
Average conception rate at first service for SS was 85 (+/- 2.9 percent) of that achieved for CS.
74 percent of herds achieved conception rates greater than 70 percent of that obtained for CS.
For the heifers that failed to conceive at the first service, the percentage inseminated within the normal 18- to 24-day interval at the next service was significantly greater for SS (70 percent) versus CS (64 percent).
No significant difference in abortion rates between the two groups.
For single births, the percentage of female calves born to heifers that conceived with SS was 90 percent (3,361 calves), versus 48 percent (10,999 calves) for heifers settling to CS.
Heifers are the most fertile animals on the dairy, and thus often are recommended as the highest-priority recipients of sex-sorted semen. Reproductive specialist Mel DeJarnette and a team of co-workers at Select Sires, Inc., recently performed a large data analysis of first services to compare the reproductive performance of virgin Holstein heifers inseminated with sex-sorted semen (SS) versus conventional, non-sorted semen (CS). A total of 16,587 services were evaluated. Their findings:
Average conception rate at first service for SS was 85 (+/- 2.9 percent) of that achieved for CS.
74 percent of herds achieved conception rates greater than 70 percent of that obtained for CS.
For the heifers that failed to conceive at the first service, the percentage inseminated within the normal 18- to 24-day interval at the next service was significantly greater for SS (70 percent) versus CS (64 percent).
No significant difference in abortion rates between the two groups.
For single births, the percentage of female calves born to heifers that conceived with SS was 90 percent (3,361 calves), versus 48 percent (10,999 calves) for heifers settling to CS.
