Seminal plasma fingerprints
By Nils Kristian Afseth (Nofima) and Ann Helen Gaustad Even though CASA (Computer-Assisted Sperm Analysis) is broadly used to ensure semen quality, a few sub fertile boars still pass the screening of boars suitable for semen production centers. Additional factors in the semen may play a role in boar subfertility. Seminal plasma, the liquid fraction […]
Assessment of bacteriospermia using flow cytometry
By Nicolas F. Koller and Carolina Da Silva The negative effect of bacteria in semen quality depends on the sperm concentration of the AI doses in relation to the concentration of bacteria present, i.e. the sperm to bacteria ratio. We used flow cytometry to count the number of bacteria in boar AI doses and investigated […]
Implementation of Flow Cytometry to Assess the DNA Fragmentation Index in Young Boars – a practical experience from The Netherlands
By Carolina Da Silva and Rodrigo M. Godinho The sperm cells carry the DNA, which contains the paternal genetic information to fertilization. Damage can occur during sperm production causing DNA fragmentation. This can have consequences for fertility results. In this study we measured the levels of DNA fragmentation in the ejaculates of young boars […]
Speed vs Endurance: The importance of assessing sperm motility after storage
By Pedro Sá The swine industry relies on high-quality pig semen because it is crucial for efficient production. To ensure quality, semen is evaluated immediately after collection, including how well the sperm moves (motility).Because semen is often stored for several days before use, its quality can change. In our study, we looked at the genetic […]
Diving into epigenetics
By Pedro Sá and Rodrigo Godinho The GEroNIMO project (Genome and Epigenome eNabled breedIng in MOnogastics) is a new project funded by the European Union. This project focuses on the in-depth characterization of the genetic and epigenetic landscapes of different tissues associated with key production traits, including semen production traits in pigs. Ultimately, GEroNIMO aims […]
Artificial intelligence meets artificial insemination
By Rodrigo Godinho and Ina Ranberg Topigs Norsvin routinely applies artificial intelligence in semen analyses to assist in the production of semen doses for artificial insemination. Sperm traits are assessed using CASA, Computer-Assisted Sperm Analysis systems, which is a standardized high-throughput phenotyping method that uses machine learning algorithms to assess the concentration of sperm cells […]