Reproductive performance of single and double artificial insemination protocol in swine

The aim of the research was to contribute towards improved pig reproductive performance in Uganda, through determining community boar stud semen quality as affected by boar traits and comparing the performance of single and double insemination. Semen ejaculates (n=36) from mature boars (3Large white, 3 Camborough) were studied for quality in relation to breed, boar age and individual boar. In addition, single and double inseminations were carried out during in vivo fertility trials (n = 84). The data was analyzed for correlation using Spearman rank-order correlations and variance of means by Mann-Whitney test of SPSS version 20. There was a significant positive correlation between boar age and semen volume (rs = 0.849, p 0.05) from single insemination (89.6%). The mean litter size for single insemination was 8.16 ± 0.34, (range 2-13 piglets) while for double, it was 9.00±0.39, (range 4-16 piglets). There was a positive relationship between semen quality and boar age. The performance of single dose in terms of piglets per insemination was higher than in double dose. Thus, a single AI dose is as good as a double dose and should be promoted among smallholder farmers who need access to low cost but high gain from breeding services. The single dose protocol seem to reduce breeding costs, however, an investigation of cost benefit analysis is needed to establish its cost effectiveness in commercial artificial insemination.Key words: Boar traits, insemination protocol, semen fertility (in vitro & in vivo) Performance reproductive du protocole d’insemination artificielle simple et double chez les porcsLe but de la recherche etait de contribuer a l’amelioration de la performance reproductive des porcs en Ouganda, en determinant la qualite du sperme de verrats communautaires tel qu’affectee par les traits des verrats et en comparant les performances des inseminations simple et double. Les ejaculats (n = 36) de verrats matures (3Grand blanc, 3 Camborough) ont ete etudies pour determiner leur qualite sur base de la race, de l’âge du verrat et du verrat individuel. De plus, des inseminations simples et doubles ont ete realisees lors d’essais de fertilite in vivo (n = 84). Les donnees ont ete analysees pour determiner la correlation en utilisant les correlations de rang-ordre de Spearman et la variance des moyennes par test de Mann-Whitney de SPSS version 20. On a note une correlation positive significative entre l’âge du verrat et le volume du sperme (rs = 0.849, p 0,05) de celui de l’insemination unique (89,6%). La taille moyenne des portees pour une insemination unique etait de 8,16 ± 0,34 (fourchette de 2 a 13 porcelets) alors que pour la double insemination elle etait de 9,00 ± 0,39 (fourchette de 4 a 16 porcelets). On a releve une relation positive entre la qualite du sperme et l’âge du everrat. La performance d’une dose unique en termes de porcelets par insemination etait plus elevee qu’en double dose. Ainsi, une seule dose d’IA est aussi bonne qu’une double dose et devrait etre encouragee chez les petits exploitants qui ont besoin d’acces a un cout faible mais a un gain eleve des services de selection. Le protocole de dose unique semble reduire les couts de reproduction, cependant, une etude de l’analyse couts-avantages est necessaire pour etablir son rapport cout-efficacite dans l’insemination artificielle commerciale.Mots-cles : traits du verrat, protocole d’insemination, fertilite du sperme (in vitro & in vivo)