GEDIS® AI technology vs. Conventional AI

2004 Leman Conference

Introduction and Objective

Presented by Michelle Michalak, DVM - Maria Stein Animal Clinic - Maria Stein, OH

In today’s swine industry sow production facilities must strive to reduce production costs and improve efficiencies to remain competitive. Maximizing sow facility throughput and breeding efficiency can reduce overall production costs and enhance profitability.

The following is a summary of field trials conducted at multiple commercial breeding and farrowing facilities in the United States. This study compares the GEDIS® “All-In-One” AI catheter manufactured by Genes Diffusion with existing conventional AI methods commonly used in sow breeding. Farrowing, rate, total born and labor efficiencies were examined to determine the effectiveness of this technology in commercial production.

GEDIS® AI catheter Description and Characteristics:

The GEDIS® AI catheter is a complete insemination unit with the extended semen packaged along the length of the catheter shaft in a collapsible membrane. The semen is held in the packaging by a heat sensitive “gel” plug. The catheter tip is inserted into the cervix and the shaft of the catheter along with the semen is placed in the vaginal vault. After insertion into the cerivix the sow’s body temperature warms the “gel” plug and semen. The “gel” plug is designed to dissolve at 100°F, resulting in “autoinsemination”. The catheter is totally contained in the sow during the insemination process and there is nothing for the technician to handle. This allows the technician to supervise the breeding of multiple sows simutaneously.

GEDIS® AI catheter Design Characteristics:

The following protocol guidelines were established for these trials :

Semen Collection, Processing and Packaging

The semen for all trials was collected, processed and packaged at one commercial boar stud in the Midwest. Single boar ejaculates were collected and processed according to the boar studs SOP. Semen was processed to contain between 2.5 – 3.0 billion fertile cells per dose. Once processed, each boar ejaculate was split. Half was packaged using the GEDIS® catheter, the other half was packaged in cochette bags. Each delivery of semen was equally divided between GEDIS® and cochette bag packaging. All semen was stored at the individual farms in semen cooler and rotated twice daily. All AI technicians received on farm individual instruction on the use of the GEDIS® catheter. Each farm utilized the catheter for 2 weeks prior to the start of each trial to allow the AI technicians time to practice and become familiar with the GEDIS® catheter.

Female Selection and Insemination

Females received all inseminations using either the GEDIS® catheter, or inseminations with foam tip catheter and a cochette semen package system. Females were monitored throughout the gestation cycle for changes in pregnancy status. All farms in the trial routinely utilize a real-time ultrasound for pregnancy detection.

Data Collection and Analysis

Data from each farm was collected using the farms record keeping system. Farrowing data was recorded for all sows. Data was analyzed by incorporating a fertility index. The index was calculated as follows: (Weekly Farrowing Rate X Weekly Avg. Total Born) = Fertility Score.

Farm 1 Description

A 2,200 commercial sow confinement facility located in the Midwest. Breeding occurred in a crated breeding row in the gestation building. A “teaser” boar was utilized during heat detection and breeding to stimulate females. Heat detection and breeding occurred simultaneously in the morning. Facility breeding pattern for all females was AM, AM, and AM (if possible). A “very experienced” technician accounted for 90% of all matings. The matings for the trial occurred between 3/3/2003 and 5/3/2003.

Table 1 - Farm 1 description
Farm1 Data GEDIS® Conventional AI
Week Bred. Farr. % Far Total
Born 		Avg total
born 		fertility
index 		  Bred. Farr. % Far Total
Born 		Avg total
born 		fertility
index
03-10 56 51 91.07 642 12.59 1146.43 59 54 93.10 650 12.04 1120.69
03-11 61 46 75.41 571 12.41 936.07 60 55 91.61 640 11.64 1066.67
03-12 60 53 88.33 663 12.51 1105.0 61 55 90.16 669 12.16 1096.72
03-13 57 46 80.70 611 13.28 1071.93 64 53 82.81 649 12.25 1014.06
03-14 60 48 80.00 603 12.56 1005.00 58 49 84.48 602 12.29 1037.93
03-15 112 100 89.29 1233 12.33 1100.89 5 5 100 64 12.80 1280.00
03-16 5 3 60.00 37 12.33 740.00 113 9 85.84 1235 12.73 1092.92
03-17 128 112 87.50 1403 12.53 1096.09 0 0 0 0 0 0
03-18 6 6 100.00 63 10.50 1050.00 123 102 82.93 1241 12.17 1008.94
Weighted Avg. Totals 545 465 85.32 5826 12.53 1068.99 542 470 86.72 5750 12.23 1060.89
GEDIS® Fertility score 1068.99 Conventional Fertility score 1060.89
GEDIS® % of conventional AI 76 %

 

Table 2 - Labor & Time Comparison
GEDIS® AI Catheter Conventional AI method
Trial week Average insemination time Average insemination time
03-10 1.26 2.203
03-11 1.326 2.536
03-12 1.135 2.203
03-13 1.234 1.799
03-14 1.271 2.223
03-15 2.146 0
03-16 0 4.008
03-17 2.191 0
03-18 0 4.359
Average time 1.544 2.834
GEDIS savings 1.29
Labor savings / Wk If the farm does 250 matings / week
5 Hrs 22 Min

Farm 1 Results

The GEDIS® catheter had an advantage in Total Born of .31 pigs more per litter when compared with those litters bred using a foam catheter with a cochette semen package system, while being slightly lower in overall farrowing rate by 1.5%. The GEDIS® resulted in a .76% improvement in the average fertility score due to improved reproductive performance.

Table 2 summarizes the average time it took for the technician to inseminate a sow using each type of catheter. The GEDIS® had a clear advantage over foam catheters of 1.29 minutes per mating. When applied over the entire weeks breeding, this equals a savings of almost 5 ½ hours. The timesavings advantage may even be even greater in breeding barns that use multiple technicians.

Farm 2 Description

A 650 sow genetic multiplier located in the Midwest. All sows are housed in gestation stalls. Breeding occurred in a crated breeding row in the gestation building. Gilts are developed and initially bred in pens in the sow unit prior to being moved into the production flow. A “teaser” boar was utilized during heat detection and breeding to stimulate females. Heat detection and breeding occurred simultaneously in the morning. Facility breeding pattern for all females - AM, AM, AM (if possible). Breeding was performed by 2 breeding technicians at the farm. This facility has had a history of challenges with breeding performance. The matings for the trial occurred between 11/3/2003 and 1/24/2003.

Table 3 - Farm 2 description
Farm2 Data GEDIS® Conventional AI
Week Bred. Farr. % Far Total
Born 		Avg total
born 		fertility
index 		  Bred. Farr. % Far Total
Born 		Avg total
born 		fertility
index
03-45 22 18 82.81 216 12.00 981.82 19 18 94.74 203 11.28 1068.42
03-46 19 14 73.68 170 12.14 894.74 18 14 77.78 168 12.00 933.33
03-47 16 14 87.50 193 13.79 1206.25 14 8 57.14 96 12.00 685.71
03-48 15 9 60.00 112 12.44 746.67 16 7 43.75 79 11.29 493.75
03-49 19 13 68.42 172 13.23 905.26 16 12 75.00 143 11.92 893.75
03-50 23 17 73.91 200 11.76 869.57 13 10 76.92 127 12.70 976.92
03-51 14 11 7857 134 12.18 957.14 11 8 72.73 75 9.38 681.82
03-52 9 7 77.78 84 12.00 933.33 7 4 57.14 43 10.75 614.29
04-01 15 10 66.67 126 12.60 840.00 10 5 50.00 64 12.80 640.00
04-02 15 14 93.33 172 12.29 1146.67 11 8 72.73 91 11.38 827.27
04-03 16 11 68.75 131 11.91 818.75 11 7 63.64 78 11.14 709.09
04-04 15 11 73.33 124 11.27 826.67 17 11 64.71 131 11.91 770.59
Weighted Avg. Totals 198 149 75.25 1834 12.31 926.26 163 112 68.71 1298 11.59 796.32
GEDIS® Fertility score 926.26 Conventional Fertility score 796.32
GEDIS® % of conventional AI 16.32%

Farm 2 Results

The GEDIS® catheter had an advantage in Total Born of .72 pigs more per litter when compared with those litters bred using a foam catheter with a cochette semen package system. The farrowing rate was found to be 6.54% greater for the GEDIS® catheter over the 12 weeks of the trial.

The GEDIS® catheter resulted in a 16.32% advantage in fertility score due to the improvement in reproductive performance.

Farm 3 Description

An 800 commercial sow confinement production facility located in the Midwest. Heat detection and breeding occurred in a “Levis” style breeding room with sows being taken individually to a breeding pen with boars located outside the pens in adjacent stalls. Animals detected in heat were bred in the heat check pen and returned to their gestation crated after insemination. Facility breeding pattern for all females - AM, AM, AM (if possible). Breeding is performed by 3 breeding technicians at this farm. This facility has had a history of challenges with breeding performance. The matings for the trial occurred between 11/10/2003 and 1/24/2003.

Table 4 - Farm 3 description
Farm3 Data GEDIS® Conventional AI
Week Bred. Farr. % Far Total
Born 		Avg total
born 		fertility
index 		Bred. Farr. % Far Total
Born 		Avg total
born 		fertility
index
03-46 13 13 100 160 12.31 1230.77 14 11 78.57 135 12.27 964.29
03-47 9 6 66.67 61 10.17 677.78 6 2 33.33 16 8 266.67
03-48 9 7 77.78 78 11.14 866.67 7 6 85.71 62 10.33 885.71
03-49 6 6 100 80 13.33 1333.33 8 4 50.00 53 13.25 662.50
03-50 6 6 100 70 11.67 1166.67 7 6 85.71 69 11.50 985.71
03-51 8 8 100 95 11.88 1187.50 8 6 75.00 71 11.83 887.50
03-52 8 5 62.50 41 8.20 512.50 8 6 75.00 69 11.50 862.50
04-01 11 9 81.82 118 13.11 1072.73 11 6 54.55 77 12.83 700
04-02 7 6 85.71 68 11.33 971.43 9 8 88.89 90 11.25 1000
04-03 6 4 66.67 51 12.75 850.00 13 11 84.61 131 11.90 1007.62
04-04 14 8 57.14 102 12.75 728.57 12 11 91.67 137 12.45 1141.67
Weighted Avg. Totals 97 78 80.41 924 11.85 952.58 103 77 74.76 910 11.82 883.50
GEDIS® Fertility score 952.58 Conventional Fertility score 883.50
GEDIS® % of conventional AI 7.82%

Farm 3 Results

The GEDIS® catheter had an advantage in Total Born of .03 pigs more per litter when compared with those litters bred using a foam catheter with a cochette semen delivery system. The GEDIS® catheter matings resulted in a 5.65% increase in farrowing rate.

The GEDIS® catheter resulted in a 7.82% higher average fertility score due to the reproductive improvements.

Summary and Conclusions

The trial data suggests that the GEDIS® catheter when compared to conventional AI practices causes no detrimental loss in total born or farrowing rate. The data suggests that on farms that have lower farrowing rates that there is an improvement in overall reproductive performance with the use of the GEDIS® system resulting in an increase in farrowing rate and total born. This positive impact may be due to the following: Improved sanitation of the insemination rod, improved breeding consistency by reducing technician variability during semen delivery, improved breeding consistency by allowing for quicker insemination of semen after estrus detection.

In addition the GEDIS® system does result in time savings…Saving time when compared to conventional AI practices, allows breeding technicians to be more labor efficient, saves time while reducing labor per insemination by at least 50%.

Other advantages of the GEDIS® catheter…

It can be used on any parity female, it is easy to use and can be mastered quickly by breeding technicians, it can be used in any type of production facility where conventional AI is utilized.

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