Daily Lesson Plan
Course: BSAA
Lesson Title: Animal Reproduction
Objectives:
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Explain how artificial insemination is performed.
Explain the advantages and limitations of artificial insemination.
Materials Needed:
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Student notes pages
Presentation
Insemination tubes
Modern Marvels: Cattle Ranches
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXADZy7CYDM
Modern Marvels: Cattle Ranches worksheet
Student Info Sheets TM-H, TM-I, TM-J, TM-K, TS-A
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Lesson Opening: Ask the students: "I want you to describe the qualities that you would like for
your future children to have. Give at least 7 characteristics that you would
like for your child to have. Do these characteristics differ from the
characteristics that you possess? What are a few things that you can do to
help ensure that your child has the characteristics that you would like them to
have? (10 minutes)
Lesson Closing: After reviewing the advantages and limitations of AI, have the students
describe a situation where they think a livestock producer would benefit from
using AI and write a paragraph about why that producer would benefit. Also
have the students describe a situation where they think a producer would not
necessarily benefit from implementing AI, and have them write a paragraph
outlining the reasons why they think this is. (15 minutes)
Ha Watch Modern Marvels: Cattle Ranches video and have the students answer
Application:
the worksheet to demonstrate how AI is performed. (30 minutes)
Have the students describe practices that may and may not benefit from
implementing AI into there farm. (15 minutes)
Lesson Body (20 minutes)
Objective: Explain how artificial insemination is performed.
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Properly inseminating animals artificially is a very precise science. A series of steps must be
carefully conducted to ensure that fertilization occurs. Non-fertilization will yield in financial
losses.
 First the semen must be collected.
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An artificial vagina is used with bulls, stallions, boars, bucks (rabbits),
and rams to collect the semen. An artificial vagina is about 10-14 inches long for bulls
and about 2.5 inches across. The outside of the tube is hard with a soft rubbery lining
inside. Warm water is placed between these two linings. A dummy or other animal is
used for the male to mount. The penis is then directed into the artificial vagina and the
semen is collected. Some animals require the use of an electroejaculator.
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Tom turkeys and roosters require manual stimulation. Gentle pressure on
the abdomen of fish will yield semen.
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One ejaculation from a bull contains about 5cc of semen. This is enough
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to breed about 500 cows. A stallion will produce enough to breed only about 17 mares
in one collection.
The semen is evaluated after being collected to ensure good quality.
It is then cooled slowly. The sperm will die if hey are cooled to quickly.
Extenders such as egg yolk, antibacterial agents, and other material to add
volume to semen are added.
The semen can be stored at 41 degrees for about one week or it is stored
at -320 degrees in liquid nitrogen. It can later be thawed for use. Semen frozen in liquid
nitrogen can last up to 40 years. Liquid nitrogen tanks are used to transport semen and
for storage on the farm.
The timing of insemination varies greatly by species and can vary between individuals to a
degree.
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Cows are usually inseminated in the evening after showing signs of estrus
in the morning or in the morning after showing signs the evening before.
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Mares are usually inseminated on the third, fifth, and seventh day of
estrus.
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Turkeys are inseminated three times over the course of several weeks.
About one week should pass between the first two inseminations and then a little over a
week between the second and third inseminations. A female turkey has a storage gland
for semen, making this possible.
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Twenty-four hours after the initiation of estrus sows can be inseminated.
Some producers will inseminate the sow after another 24 hour period.
Restrain the animal in a stall or stanchion.
Assemble the wide array of equipment and supplies that are needed.
 Liquid nitrogen tank to store the semen straws.
 Straw of semen.
 Straw tweezers.
 Sterile lubricant (non-spermicidal) to put on the plastic sleeve and/or the animals vulva.
 Insemination gun to hold the straw and maneuver it through the cervix.
 Thaw box to thaw the straw of semen.
 Paper towels to keep the area clean, especially the animal.
 Scissors to cut the end of the straw just prior to insemination.
 Thermometer to measure the temperature of the water bath.
 Plastic glove or sleeve to put on the inseminator's arms.
 Cover sheath.
Cows are artificially inseminated using the recto-vaginal method.
Carefully remove the straw of semen from the liquid nitrogen tank using the tweezers. Be
cautious not to burn your fingers.
All semen must be thawed before use. Usually a straw is placed in a warm water bath (95-98
degrees). Thaw the straw following the recommendations from the company where the semen
was purchased.
Using a paper towel, dry the straw thoroughly.
Pull the plunger on the inseminating gun back about 4-6 inches.
Insert the straw and cut the end off.
Place the cover sheath over the end of the gun and secure.
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Hold the inseminating gun either in your mouth, or have someone hold it for you.
Lubricate the glove with the non-spermicidal lubricant.
Insert the gloved arm into the vulva and clean out the rectum.
Clean the vulva with the paper towels.
Locate a cervix.
Using the other hand, carefully insert the inseminating gun upward into the vulva to avoid
injury.
Slide the inseminating gun through the cervix.
Deposit the semen into the uterus by pushing the plunger.
Slowly remove the inseminating gun.
Record the breeding information.
Placement and method of insemination also vary between species.
Instead of inserting the arm into the rectum of mares, it is inserted into the vagina because they
have a more delicate rectum. The semen is also deposited into the uterus.
An inseminating tube is placed through the cervix of a sow and a plastic squeeze bottle is used
to insert the semen.
Objective: Explain the advantages and limitations of artificial insemination.
 Artificial insemination has numerous advantages over natural insemination, but is also has some
limitations.
 There are many advantages to breeding animals artificially.
 Maximum use is made of outstanding sires. Semen can be used after the sire has died or
can be shipped anywhere in the world.
 Uniformity of offspring is increased.
 Certain physical handicaps to mating may be overcome.
 Sire cost can be reduced.
 Danger and cost of keeping a sire is eliminated.
 Cost and delays involved in using infertile sires are reduced.
 Better health is maintained.
 Breeding herd records are improved.
 Profits are increased.
 Pride of ownership is increased.
 Artificial insemination also has several limitations.
 Skilled technicians are required.
 Physiological principles must be followed.
 Sire market may be limited.
 Diseases may be spread.
 May be subject to certain abuses.
 May accentuate the damage of a poor sire.
 Artificial breeding organizations require large investments of capital and competent
employees.