The present invention provides apparatus and methods for artificial insemination or in-vitro fertilization for use with livestock that maintains the sterility of the semen or embryo(s) until deposited at an optimum location in the reproductive tract of the animal without the maneuvering or tissue injury problems associated with prior art devices. Embodiments of the present invention comprise a uniquely shaped opening that is provided at the tip of a sheath that is used with an artificial insemination gun, and a movable or deformable plug or diaphragm that fits into and covers this opening. The plug or diaphragm has a rounded (convex) exterior surface, and may be made of a rigid or rubberized material that completely covers the opening at the tip of the sheath, and seals it closed in a smooth, flush engagement to prevent contaminants from collecting upon the tip, or entering into the sheath during the trip through the reproductive tract of the animal. Once the sheath is properly placed in the reproductive tract, application of fluid pressure to the inside the sheath causes the plug to move or deform without becoming detached from the sheath, thereby allowing contents of the sheath to exit. In alternative embodiments, the unique tip with its opening and corresponding plug may be provided in a separate cap that is installed at the end of an insemination sheath.

An assembly includes a catheter that has an insemination lumen for injecting sperm into a uterus. The insemination lumen includes two branches (sub-lumens), one directed toward a left ostium and the other directed to a right ostium of fallopian tubes.

The present invention relates to methods of and compositions comprising cytokines for, improving the success rate of embryo implantation and the success rate of pregnancy rates in females, by providing an immunopermissive uterine environment prior to insemination or implantation of embryos. The methods of the present invention are used to make the uterus more receptive or less hostile to, for example, transferred embryos, sperm or other allografted tissue.

A method of artificially inseminating a hen includes the steps of securing a male bird, applying a semen extender liquid to a tip of a cloacal protuberance of the male bird, squeezing the cloacal protuberance to extract semen from the male bird into the semen extender liquid to form a mixture, applying a tip of a pipette to the mixture, drawing the mixture into the pipette, securing the hen, inserting the pipette into the hen's cloaca, and squeezing a bulb of the pipette to inject the mixture from the pipette into the cloaca. A holding device for restraining a bird during sperm collection and artificial insemination procedures has a base, an arm extending upward from the base, and an open-ended receptacle connected to the upper end of the arm. The holding device is useful in mitigating injury to the bird and the handler during the procedures.

The invention relates to methods of increasing the genetic progress of a line, breed or herd of swine through the use of sex-selected sperm cells in artificial insemination techniques. The invention also encompasses methods of artificially inseminating a swine via deep intrauterine catheter or via a laparoscopic procedure, which allow the use of reduced doses of sex-selected sperm cells.

The invention relates to methods of increasing genetic merit of swine by establishing a plurality of mating subtypes for a line of swine, and determining a percentage of progeny that are male for each of the mating subtypes, or a percentage of progeny that are female for each of the mating subtypes, that would result, relative to a control, in an increase in genetic merit in the line; the invention further relates to sorting a sperm cell sample from a male swine in one of the mating subtypes into one or more subpopulations of sperm cells, wherein a majority of sperm cells in a subpopulation of sperm cells bear X chromosomes or Y chromosomes, and inseminating one or more female swine in the one of the mating subtypes with the subpopulation of sperm cells to achieve the percentage of progeny that are male, or the percentage of progeny that are female, determined to increase genetic merit relative to the control.

A microchip includes a first chamber and second chamber formed to a predetermined depth in a member made of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS); and a channel (microchannel) connecting the first chamber to the second chamber. These components mimic in vivo organs which produce by selecting capacitated motile sperm from semen and causing the selected sperm to meet mature oocyte, and these components are capable of effectively producing motile capacitated good-quality sperms from sperms ejaculated outside the body.

The system comprises a straw and a liquid dilution medium. The straw comprises a tube (11) extending between a first end and a second end and comprises a gas-permeable, liquid-tight plug, said plug being arranged in the tube (11) in the vicinity of the first end of same and extending between a first end turned towards the first end of the tube (11) and a second end turned towards the second end of the tube (11). Said plug comprises an element (14) impregnated with a reagent (22) at least in the vicinity of a first end turned towards the second end of the tube (11). The liquid medium is provided to produce, by mixing, in predefined conditions, the liquid substance (21). The reagent (22) and the medium(27) are configured such that, when the substance (21) comes into contact with the first end of the impregnated element (14), it forms a hydrogel.

The system comprises a straw and a liquid dilution medium. The straw comprises a tube (11) extending between a first end and a second end and comprises a gas-permeable, liquid-tight plug, said plug being arranged in the tube (11) in the vicinity of the first end of same and extending between a first end turned towards the first end of the tube (11) and a second end turned towards the second end of the tube (11). Said plug comprises an element (14) impregnated with a reagent (22) at least in the vicinity of a first end turned towards the second end of the tube (11). The liquid medium is provided to produce, by mixing, in predefined conditions, the liquid substance (21). The reagent (22) and the medium(27) are configured such that, when the substance (21) comes into contact with the first end of the impregnated element (14), it forms a hydrogel.

Devices, systems, and methods for detecting estrus in subjects are provided. Devices include a housing configured for intravaginal/intrauterine deployment and retention and a sensor disposed in or on the housing, and are configured to use condition information sensed by the sensor to determine an estrus condition of the subject. Methods include deploying a device in the subject, sensing the condition information, and determining an estrus condition using the condition information. Systems include a device configured to communicate with a base station and/or with other implanted devices, which are located within a reception radius thereof, regarding the determined estrus condition.