Effect of SpermVital® technology on conception rate in repeat breeder multiparous dairy cows: preliminary results

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of SV technology on conception rates in repeat breeder multiparous dairy cows. Seventy-nine multiparous Holstein cows from a private dairy farm were used in the study. These animals were cows that had failed to conceive from at least 3 regularly spaced services (repeat breeders). Estrus cycles of the cows were synchronized by 2 injections of the PG analogue, administered 11 days apart. GnRH was applied 48 h after the second injection of PG. Twenty-four h after this administration, the animals were randomly divided into 2 groups, control and SV. The animals in the control group (n = 28) were inseminated with standard processed semen, and the cows in the SV group (n = 51) were inseminated with SV (R) technology processed semen. A lower pregnancy rate (35.5%) was determined in the control group than in the SV (47.1%) group. The difference between pregnancy rates in the groups was statistically significant (P < 0.05). We are at too early a stage to say that SV (R) Technology can fully respond to the deficiencies in herd management. This work may also lead to future studies into the use of more animal material.