Utilization of Sex‐Selected Semen

Gender selection of offspring has considerable benefit for livestock management systems. Utilization of gender selected semen allows production of male and female offspring to take advantage of sex-limited and sex-influenced traits. Flow cytometric examination of the DNA content of X and Y chromosome-bearing sperm of cattle indicated a difference in their DNA content. Advances in sex-sorting sperm have enabled its incorporation into commercial reproductive management. Several studies have reported in vivo embryo production from superovulated cows and heifers following insemination with sex-sorted sperm. In vitro fertlization requires low numbers of sperm for embryo production. Incidence of stillbirth was similar between heifers inseminated with conventional or sex-sorted semen. The fertility of sex-sorted semen in cattle has always been lower than that of conventional semen. The SexedULTRA™ process was devised as a system to simplify and optimize the media used for the sex-sorting protocol.