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The aim of this study was to compare pregnancy per artificial insemination (P/AI) after timed AI with sex-sorted sperm (SS) or conventional semen (CS) in lactating dairy cows. Cyclic cows (n = 302) were synchronized by Ovsynch and randomly assigned into two groups at the time of AI. Cows with a follicle size between 12 and 18 mm and clear vaginal discharge at the time of AI were inseminated with either frozen-thawed SS (n = 148) or CS (n = 154) of the same bull. A shallow uterine insemination was performed into the uterine horn ipsilateral to the side of probable impending ovulation. Pregnancy per AI on Day 31 tended (p = 0.09) to be less for SS (31.8%) than CS (40.9%). Similarly, P/AI on Day 62 was less (p = 0.01) for cows inseminated with SS (25.7%) compared with CS (39.0%). The increased difference in fertility between treatments from Days 31 to 62 was caused by the greater (p = 0.02) pregnancy loss for cows receiving SS (19.2%) than CS (4.8%). Cow parity (p = 0.02) and season (p < 0.01) when AI was performed were additional factors affecting fertility. Primiparous cows had greater P/AI than multiparous cows both on Day 31 (41.7% vs 25.0% in SS and 53.0% vs 31.8% in CS groups) and on Day 62 (33.3% vs 20.5% in SS and 48.5% vs 31.8% in CS groups). During the hot season of the year, P/AI on Day 31 was reduced (p = 0.01) in the SS group (19.6%) when compared with the rates during the cool season (38.1%). In conclusion, sex-sorted sperm produced lower fertility results compared to conventional semen even after using some selection criteria to select most fertile cows.

Contents Dry period and early post‐partum management are decisive factors for fertility in lactating dairy cows. Previous studies have shown that decreased dry matter intake (DMI) and increased non‐esterified fatty acids (NEFA) negatively affect fertility and subsequent milk production. The traditional dry period decreases DMI prior to parturition, resulting in a decrease in energy intake. A negative energy balance increases NEFA concentration, and increased NEFA may impair the immune system, especially by decreasing neutrophil function prior to parturition. Earlier studies have shown that post‐partum health disorders, including retained placenta and metritis, were correlated with periparturient neutrophil function. In addition, decreased DMI is also linked to a reduced body condition score (BCS) in dairy cows. These events in the periparturient period negatively affect fertility. Some manipulation, such as shortening the dry period, may be a solution to increased DMI in the periparturient period, preventing post‐partum disorders and subsequent fertility issues. This article aims to explain the effects of shortening the dry period on reproduction and early post‐partum treatments to improve fertility. In addition, timed artificial insemination protocols will be discussed for use during the post‐partum period to improve fertility in dairy cows.

ContentsThe objective was to compare pregnancy per artificial insemination (P/AI) with conventional (CS) or sex-sorted semen (SS) in dairy cows subjected to one of the three timed AI protocols. Cows (n = 356) were randomly assigned to synchronization with Ovsynch (OVS), Presynch-Ovsynch (PO) or Double-Ovsynch (DO) and inseminated on Day 77 ± 3 postpartum with either frozen-thawed SS (n = 182) or CS (n = 184) of the same bull. More cows were cyclic at the beginning of breeding Ovsynch increased (p < 0.01) with presynchronization and it was greater for DO than PO (OVS = 78.5%, PO = 85.1%, DO = 95.6%). Overall, P/AI for SS and CS increased with presynchronization (p < 0.05) on Days 31 (OVS = 35.5%, PO = 47.1%, DO = 48.3%) and 62 (OVS = 30.1%, PO = 43.8%, DO = 43.9%). Regardless of synchronization treatments, insemination with SS reduced P/AI (p < 0.02) on Days 31 (38.1% vs. 50.6%) and 62 (34.5% vs. 45.6%) compared with CS. No interaction was observed between synchronization treatment and type of semen for P/AI, although in cows receiving CS, P/ AI was numerically greatest for PO (OVS = 42.0%, PO = 59.3%, DO = 49.0%), and in cows receiving SS, it was numerically greatest for those inseminated following DO (OVS = 27.9%, PO = 35.5%, DO = 47.6%). Thus, presynchronization improved P/AI in cows inseminated with sex-sorted or conventional semen. K E Y W O R D S dairy cow, ovsynch, presynchronization, sex-sorted semen