Effect of SpermVital® technology on conception rate in repeat breeder multiparous dairy cows: preliminary results

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of SV technology on conception rates in repeat breeder multiparous dairycows. Seventy-nine multiparous Holstein cows from a private dairy farm were used in the study. These animals were cows that hadfailed to conceive from at least 3 regularly spaced services (repeat breeders). Estrus cycles of the cows were synchronized by 2 injectionsof the PG analogue, administered 11 days apart. GnRH was applied 48 h after the second injection of PG. Twenty-four h after thisadministration, the animals were randomly divided into 2 groups, control and SV. The animals in the control group (n = 28) wereinseminated with standard processed semen, and the cows in the SV group (n = 51) were inseminated with SV® technology processedsemen. A lower pregnancy rate (35.5%) was determined in the control group than in the SV (47.1%) group. The difference betweenpregnancy rates in the groups was statistically significant (P < 0.05). We are at too early a stage to say that SV® Technology can fullyrespond to the deficiencies in herd management. This work may also lead to future studies into the use of more animal material.