What is Laparoscopic Artificial Insemination?

Laparoscopic artificial insemination (LAI) is an advanced reproductive technique that allows sheep and goat producers to enormously extend the genetic influence of elite animals in a flock or herd.

Why do producers utilize LAI in their flock or herd?

Laparoscopic artificial insemination (LAI) is an innovative insemination procedure primarily utilized in sheep and goats due to their nearly impenetrable cervix. LAI is a minimally invasive surgical procedure that employs the use of a laparoscope and allows the practicing veterinarian to visualize the uterus. Once the uterus is visualized, the veterinarian then directly injects semen into each uterine horn.

What are the benefits of LAI?

There are several reasons why sheep and goat producers choose to utilize laparoscopic artificial insemination within their reproductive management programs:

1. The success rates with frozen semen are higher than vaginal AI, and you do not need to have as high of semen concentration in comparison. This should, theoretically, keep the cost down per unit.
2. If the frozen dose of semen is high enough quality, producers can split a unit between ewes whereas vaginal AI could require multiple units per ewe.
3. Vaginal artificial insemination is in inferior to LAI.
4. Sheep and goat producers can reduce or eliminate the cost and time it takes to maintain rams or bucks on- farm.
5. LAI gives the producer the ability to use imported semen to diversify and propel the production of their flock or herd with outcross genetics. The ability to use frozen semen collected from superior rams or bucks from around the globe is an immeasurable benefit of LAI.
6. Using LAI also gives the producer the opportunity to use elite genetics from rams or bucks that are no longer alive.
7. LAI breeding programs allow producers to more precisely document and decrease the length of lambing/kidding periods. This is accomplished by knowing precisely what date and time ewes or does are bred.

How are females prepared for laparoscopic AI?

Females are prepared and synchronized as a group so they simultaneously come into estrus at the pre- determined time of breeding. This is accomplished with the utilization of a CIDR sync protocol, hormonal manipulation with PMSG, and a teaser ram. Rolleston Veterinary Services works closely with clients to explain the protocol and provides all materials as well as a uniquely tailored schedule to increase your rate of success.

What type of success can producers expect from LAI?

With proper management and performance, a single session of laparoscopic artificial insemination can yield a conception rate of 60%- 75% on average.