**Preface XI**

Fontbonne


Chapter 7 **The Potential for Infectious Disease Contamination During the Artificial Insemination Procedure in Swine 117** Emílio César Martins Pereira, Abelardo Silva Júnior, Eduardo Paulino da Costa and Carlos Eduardo Real Pereira Chapter 8 **The Role of Trans-Rectal Ultrasonography in Artificial Insemination Program 141** Alemayehu Lemma Chapter 9 **Energy Management of Mature Mammalian Spermatozoa 153** Joan E. Rodríguez-Gil

Preface

of AI.

invaluable medium in meeting such needs.

developing countries is still low.

The extensive application of AI in domestic animals is demanding an efficient technique with high rate of success. Methods of improving the success of AI are subsequently emanating from continuous research in the areas of procuring the best quality semen that also require employing a rigours semen evaluation system. This book was prepared with an intention of creating a useful addition to an already available literature on different aspects

People involved in AI industry require up-to-date and relevant information in a more lucid and easily accessible way. Today, client education is increasingly becoming important and hence the mechanism to communicate pertinent research findings should only be through greater access to scholarly information. However, some of the most useful research findings published in scientific forums other than the common journals is still not accessible to all readers around the world. This is what makes InTech, as a pioneer open access publisher, an

Improvement in livestock resources can be achieved through the implementation of an efficient and reliable AI service, concomitantly with proper feeding, health care and management of livestock. Considering the economic investment in semen and other inputs, success must be judged on the basis of pregnancy rate to the first AI. Pregnancies resulting from AI largly originate from fertility level of the herd and semen quality. Collectively, errors in efficiency of AI result in high semen cost, poor conception rate, reduced cow production and net returns. An understanding of the impact of factors on the probability of success of AI is of primary importance to establish corrective measures. Despite the wide application and success of AI throughout the developed world, the success rate in many

The main objective of this book is to provide readers with scientific information on the role of high quality of semen in improving fertility and hence the success of AI. The book is divided in to ten chapters each addressing different aspects of AI in domestic animals. The first four chapters primarily focus on the importance of high semen quality in the success of AI and methods employed to improve semen quality. Research findings regarding the use of feed supplements in breeding animals, use of sex-sorted semen and modification of semen extenders in an attempt to improve semen quality have been dealt in detail. Chapters five and six address the female aspects including facts about the use anti-inflammatory drugs in the females, and the role of early pregnancy diagnosis in advancing the success rate of AI. Chapters seven through nine deals with aspects of advanced semen evaluation. Additional topic on AI in poultry has also been included. Totally over twenty-five authors and co-authors from different parts of the world have contributed to this work. Professional

Chapter 10 **Artificial Insemination in Poultry 175** M.R. Bakst and J.S. Dymond
