Introduction To Infertility In The Domestic Animals

Reproduction is a vital component in the animal husbandry practices. Infertility is a significant concern in domestic animals, as it can impact breeding programs, animal productivity, and the overall health of animal populations. Infertility in domestic animals refers to the inability of an animal to reproduce successfully, either by conceiving, carrying a pregnancy to term, or giving birth to healthy offspring. It can also affect various species of domestic animals, including cattle, horses, sheep, goats, pigs, dogs, cats, and more. It is a significant concern for animal breeders, farmers, pet owners, and veterinarians, as it can have economic, emotional, and practical implications. Infertility can have various causes, including genetic, anatomical abnormalities, age, physiological, endocrine disruptions, nutrition, infections and diseases, environmental, and management factors. Some animals may inherit genetic traits that can lead to reproductive problems, such as structural abnormalities or hormonal imbalances that affect their fertility. Physical abnormalities in the reproductive tract, such as uterine malformations or blocked fallopian tubes, can prevent successful conception and pregnancy. The age of the animal can impact fertility. Older animals might experience reduced reproductive capacity due to changes in hormonal balance and overall health. In females, conditions such as ovarian cysts, uterine infections, and blocked fallopian tubes can lead to infertility. In males, problems like low sperm count, poor sperm motility, and anatomical abnormalities can contribute to infertility. Hormonal disorders, like those affecting the thyroid or reproductive hormones, can disrupt normal reproductive cycles and processes. Exposure to endocrine-disrupting substances, like certain pesticides or pollutants, can interfere with hormonal regulation and reproductive function. Inadequate or imbalanced nutrition can impact an animal's reproductive health. Both under nutrition and excess nutrition can lead to fertility issues. Certain infections, such as sexually transmitted diseases or reproductive tract infections can directly affect reproductive organs or disrupt hormonal balance, leading to infertility. Environmental conditions can have a significant impact on reproductive success. Stress, extreme temperatures, poor housing conditions, and exposure to certain chemicals or toxins can negatively affect fertility. Improper breeding practices, such as overbreeding, or inadequate timing of mating or AI, can lead to reduced fertility. Infertility diagnosis in domestic animals involves a combination of physical examinations, clinical evaluation, reproductive history, and various diagnostic tests, such as hormone level assessments, ultrasound imaging of reproductive organs, and semen analysis in males. Veterinarians will work to identify the underlying cause of infertility in order to develop an appropriate treatment and management strategies. An infertility management strategy involves maintaining optimal reproductive health through balanced ration, suitable housing, disease prevention measures, and stress reduction. Judicious hormonal therapies, surgical interventions, implementing proper breeding practices, and assisted reproductive techniques like artificial insemination or in vitro fertilization can be employed to address specific issues. In conclusion, infertility in domestic animals can have a substantial impact on agricultural productivity and breeding programs. It's important to note that infertility can be a multifaceted problem, often requiring an understanding of the causes, along with appropriate management, veterinary care, and, in some cases, advanced reproductive technologies. Addressing infertility requires focusing on the health and well-being of domestic animals, we can mitigate the challenges posed by infertility and ensure the sustainability of livestock production and companion animal populations.

This new addition to the Veterinary Health Series provides comprehensive and up-to-date coverage of breeding and fertility in animals from both temperate and tropical environments. Taking a practical, problem-oriented approach to the theory and practice of animal breeding and infertility, it deals systematically with the typical approaches and problems encountered in the treatment of cattle, goats, horses, pigs and sheep in individual chapters, written by professionals in the field

Reproductive Technologies in Animals provides the most updated and comprehensive knowledge on the various aspects and applications of reproductive technologies in production animals as well as companion, wild, exotic, and laboratory animals and birds. The text synthesizes historical information and recent discoveries, while dealing with economical and geographical issues related to the implementation of the same technologies. It also presents the effects of reproductive technology implementation on animal welfare and the possible threat of pathogen transmission. Reproductive Technologies in Animals is an important resource for academics, researchers, professionals in public and private animal business, and students at the undergraduate and graduate levels, as it gives a full and detailed first-hand analysis of all species subjected to the use of reproductive technologies. Provides research from a team of scientists and researchers whose expertise spans all aspects of animal reproductive technologies Addresses the use of reproductive technologies in a wide range of animal species Offers a complete description and historical background for each species described Discusses successes and failure as well as future challenges in reproductive technologies

Welcomed as liberation and dismissed as exploitation, egg freezing (oocyte cryopreservation) has rapidly become one of the most widely-discussed and influential new reproductive technologies of this century. In Freezing Fertility, Lucy van de Wiel takes us inside the world of fertility preservation—with its egg freezing parties, contested age limits, proactive anticipations and equity investments—and shows how the popularization of egg freezing has profound consequences for the way in which female fertility and reproductive aging are understood, commercialized and politicized. Beyond an individual reproductive choice for people who may want to have children later in life, Freezing Fertility explores how the rise of egg freezing also reveals broader cultural, political and economic negotiations about reproductive politics, gender inequities, age normativities and the financialization of healthcare. Van de Wiel investigates these issues by analyzing a wide range of sources—varying from sparkly online platforms to heart-breaking court cases and intimate autobiographical accounts—that are emblematic of each stage of the egg freezing procedure. By following the egg’s journey, Freezing Fertility examines how contemporary egg freezing practices both reflect broader social, regulatory and economic power asymmetries and repoliticize fertility and aging in ways that affect the public at large. In doing so, the book explores how the possibility of egg freezing shifts our relation to the beginning and end of life.

Artificial insemination is used instead of natural mating for reproduction purposes and its chief priority is that the desirable characteristics of a bull or other male livestock animal can be passed on more quickly and to more progeny than if that animal is mated with females in a natural fashion. This book contains under one cover 16 chapters of concise, up-to-date information on artificial insemination in buffalos, ewes, pigs, swine, sheep, goats, pigs and dogs. Cryopreservation effect on sperm quality and fertility, new method and diagnostic test in semen analysis, management factors affecting fertility after cervical insemination, factors of non-infectious nature affecting the fertility, fatty acids effects on reproductive performance of ruminants, particularities of bovine artificial insemination, sperm preparation techniques and reproductive endocrinology diseases are described. This book will explain the advantages and disadvantages of using AI, the various methodologies used in different species, and how AI can be used to improve reproductive efficiency in farm animals.