New AI Industry Paradigms for Sire Management and Semen Quality Evaluation

Abstract

The major paradigm shift faced by the bovine artificial insemination (AI) was the replacement of locally produced non-frozen liquid semen with cryopreserved semen collected and processed by any of hundreds of AI centers that existed at the time (late 50’s, early 60’s). The genetic progress realized by the dairy producer as result of this technology introduction has been astounding. However, improved efficiency and greater competition has led to consolidation among both AI centers and producers alike. The turn of the 21st century finds numerous new technologies poised to alter future paradigms of the AI industry. Albeit with less than desirable levels of efficiency, sex-sorted semen has become a commercial reality. Estrous detection has largely been replaced by tail-paint, ovulation synchronization, or computerized activity monitors. Automated semen evaluation technologies greatly enhance the precision of semen quality estimates and may enhance our understanding of previously unmeasurable attributes of semen quality. However, it is genomic selection that is most profoundly reshaping the new paradigms of AI and dairy industries. Today, the reliability of genomic predictions for milk production among newborn Holstein calves is equivalent to that obtained by 33 daughters in production under the traditional progeny test system. The accuracy of these estimates will continue grow as more animals are tested, which likely further support the trend of driving a greater percent of semen sales toward young sires. Stall space and efficiency of semen production will become of greater concern as the traditional proven sires are replaced by genomic young sires with ~30% the semen production capacity of their counterparts. Of paramount concern will be maintaining the phenotypic data necessary to continually ensure calibration of genomic predictions as producers seek to eliminate unnecessary operating expenses. [...]