Reproductive techniques
Reproduction techniques are becoming more and more important and necessary for modern animal breeding. Reproduction techniques are used to make safe and efficient breeding possible.
Breeding programmes can be improved and optimised through the use of reproductive techniques. Reproductive techniques allow the dissemination of genes of interest and increased the reproductive capacities of animals. These technologies can bring a lot of advantages, but can also evoke strong emotions from the society.
Breeding programmes can be improved and optimised through the use of reproductive techniques. Reproductive techniques allow the dissemination of genes of interest and increased the reproductive capacities of animals. These technologies can bring a lot of advantages, but can also evoke strong emotions from the society.
Over the years different techniques are invented, developed and exploited for the breeding sector:
Artificial insemination (AI) semen is collected from an adult male and injected into the uteri of a fertile female. Collected semen is often stored or transported in frozen form, which makes this technique suitable for global use or storage. AI makes it possible to rapidly produce a large number of offspring from a genetically excellent male. In addition disease spreading is prevented with the use of AI.
Since a few decades the technology of sexing semen is commercialised; but in some species still under development.
Embryo transfer is the transfer of an embryo from a superior donor female and implanted in a surrogate mother. In this technique disease transmission is even more minimized, compared to AI. Equivalent to the AI semen, the embryos can be frozen, so they can be widely distributed or stored for future use. Semen, however, cannot be used to preserve endangered breeds. This is possible for the embryos as these are whole organisms.
Embryo transfer can be combined with super ovulation. This method stimulates female animals to produce many more ova and thus embryos, than they would naturally do. This is economically very valuable for the breeder, as more embryos can be taken away from the female.
Cloning is another method of multiplying improved animals, currently not used for animal production. Potentially cloning can be used to produce genetic copies of individuals and for dissemination of genetic progress but it may also be used to introduce a new or endangered breed into a country without risk of disease transmission by transport of animals. Today cloning in farm animal breeding is done mainly for research purposes and not for production of milk, meat or eggs.
Artificial insemination (AI) semen is collected from an adult male and injected into the uteri of a fertile female. Collected semen is often stored or transported in frozen form, which makes this technique suitable for global use or storage. AI makes it possible to rapidly produce a large number of offspring from a genetically excellent male. In addition disease spreading is prevented with the use of AI.
Since a few decades the technology of sexing semen is commercialised; but in some species still under development.
Embryo transfer is the transfer of an embryo from a superior donor female and implanted in a surrogate mother. In this technique disease transmission is even more minimized, compared to AI. Equivalent to the AI semen, the embryos can be frozen, so they can be widely distributed or stored for future use. Semen, however, cannot be used to preserve endangered breeds. This is possible for the embryos as these are whole organisms.
Embryo transfer can be combined with super ovulation. This method stimulates female animals to produce many more ova and thus embryos, than they would naturally do. This is economically very valuable for the breeder, as more embryos can be taken away from the female.
Cloning is another method of multiplying improved animals, currently not used for animal production. Potentially cloning can be used to produce genetic copies of individuals and for dissemination of genetic progress but it may also be used to introduce a new or endangered breed into a country without risk of disease transmission by transport of animals. Today cloning in farm animal breeding is done mainly for research purposes and not for production of milk, meat or eggs.
In the aquaculture or fish farming there are other reproductive techniques used. Monosexing is used in order to prevent the natural maturing process of male fish whereby quality of meat and growth rate decline. In this technique the temperature at which fish are raised are altered, so that the fish become outwardly female. In fish such as trout, monosex female fry will grow to commercial weight before maturation.
Another technique used in fish farming is triploidisation, also triggered by thermal treatment. This treatment generates fish with three sets of chromosomes instead of the usual two. Triploid fish are very useful, as they cannot interbreed or contaminate with wild stocks. Similar to monosex fish, they have delayed maturation.
Another technique used in fish farming is triploidisation, also triggered by thermal treatment. This treatment generates fish with three sets of chromosomes instead of the usual two. Triploid fish are very useful, as they cannot interbreed or contaminate with wild stocks. Similar to monosex fish, they have delayed maturation.
