ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION IN FARM ANIMALS - Phenix-Vet

36Artificial Insemination in Farm Animals3. ResultsThe total number of sheep kept on various farms is summarised in Table 2. The size of flocksbelonging to various breeds per farm changed over the studied period, the number of ewesmainly decreasing over the years. The numbers of artificially inseminated ewes per breedand per farm are presented in Table 3.3.1 The tools of artificial inseminationThe most important factors in artificial insemination are well-skilled labour (mainlyshepherds or inseminators), well-prepared rams of good quality, ewes with good bodycondition, and the necessary equipments and tools.Based on our study, at least one person per farm with proper skill in artificial inseminationwas working, and he was primarily the owner shepherd. There were technicians on farmsNo. 1 and 7. The animals were prepared (details presented later on) on each farm before theseason.The most important equipments and tools necessary for performing artificial inseminationon farms are shown in Figure 2: artificial vagina, semen collecting glass with double wall(and warm water between the walls), warm water bath, thermometer, vaginal speculum(with different size for adult ewes and ewe hoggets), lamp for providing light into thevagina, pipettes, catheter, syringe and vaginal sponges or implants for oestrussynchronization. A microscope with relatively smaller capacity is also needed with a tableand sheet object heater.Farmcode2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 20101 1960 2120 2140 2200 2080 - - -2 3138 2905 2753 2103 2251 2170 971 5883 312 359 411 461 450 - - -4 700 700 750 700 840 834 - -5 820 900 950 980 1050 960 - -6 - - - - - - 1100 9807 239 204 177 206 216 237 295 2908 588 456 - - - - - -9 1160 1168 1183 1157 988 1060 968 94010 - - 430 450 470 460 460 45011 420 390 350 380 380 350 345 340Table 2. The total number of ewes kept on the studied farms between 2003 and 2010