Artificial insemination of farmed fallow deer (Dama dama): fixed-time insemination at a synchronized oestrus

Abstract

ABSTRACTTwo trials were conducted in 1986 on artificial insemination of female fallow deer at fixed intervals from the cessation of oestrous synchronization treatment. Semen had been collected previously from mature bucks by electroejaculation and extended in sodium citrate/egg yolk diluent.In the first trial involving a comparison of the fertilization rates of fresh and frozen-thawed semen delivered intravaginally, 57 does each received a single intravaginal progesterone-releasing device (CIDRtype S, Carter Holt Harvey Plastic Products Group Ltd, Hamilton, NZ) for a 14-day period early in the 1986 breeding season. All does were inseminated intravaginally with either fresh (no. = 26) or frozenthawed (no. = 31) semen (85 × 106 motile spermatozoa per inseminate) at 48 h after CIDR removal. The apparent conception rates for the two types of semen were 65·4% and 64·5% respectively (P > 0·1) and the actual fawning rates were 500% and 48·4% respectively (P > 0·1).In the second trial involving an investigation of the feasibility of laparoscopic intrauterine insemination, 55 does were synchronized as for the first trial. At 56 to 58 h from CIDR removal, the does were anaesthetized and laparoscopically inseminated with frozen-thawed semen (85 × 106 motile spermatozoa per animal) by direct injection into both uterine horns. Anaesthesia was reversed immediately following artificial insemination. The apparent conception rate was 47·3% and the actual fawning rate was 41·8%.Data from both trials indicate that reasonable fawning rates can be obtained for artificially inseminated fallow deer. Between 11 and 25% of does expected to fawn did not and this may represent embryonic mortality attributable to the method of oestrus/ovulation synchronization.