The Effect of the Use of Sexed Semen on Reproductive Traits and Sex Ratio of Black and White Calves

Abstract

Sperm sexing is a relatively new biotechnological procedure which offers us the possibility to choose the offspring sex. This method is widely used today in the insemination of the dairy cattle breeds and it is based on the difference in total DNA quantity between X and Y chromosome spermatozoa. In this research paper we have analysed the fertility, sex ratio and characteristics of female Black and White breed calves inseminated by the sexed sperm produced by 6 bulls on 6 commercial farms of the PK Belgrade. Conception rate was 44% with average gestation length of 274.9 days. Average calf birth weight was 36.75 kg. The stillbirths and twinning rates were 7.16 and 1.13%, respectively. Artificial insemination by sexed sperm assessed by c2 test highly significantly (P lt 0.01) alters the sex ratio between female and male calves (85:15%). By means of GL model we have assessed the effects of farm, insemination season, sex of the calves and inseminating bull on gestation length and calf birth weight. All mentioned factors have manifested statistical significance (P lt 0.01) on studied traits, except for the inseminating bull trait which did not statistically significantly affect (P>0.05) gestation length. Regardless the low conception rate, the application of sexed sperm in dairy cattle breeding is very significant since it enables the breeders to use the best replacement female animals what may result in the improvement of genetic basis of breeding stock.