Management of Reproduction in Farm Animals: Present and Future

ABSTRACTModern techniques applied to reproduction of domestic mammals aim at increasing the efficiency of production of offspring under the conditions of management best suited to the farmers. This report presents the different techniques now available to achieve this objective. For the male, in addition to the semen in artificial insemination now possible in all species of farm animals, emphasis will first be on the possibility to deliver a small number of spermatozoa from the best pedigree sires to a maximum number of females with the best chance of fertilization and, second, to keep the males of seasonal breeders (like sheep and goats) permanently at the top of their potential sperm production. For the female, as oestrus and ovulation can now be efficiently controlled, reproduction may be managed in the different species of farm animals at any chosen period of the year. Sophisticated methods of reproductive technology have also been developed with embryo manipulation in order to further improve the rat...