This study was carried out at Sakha Research Station.Sixty six crossbred
(Finn x Rahmani) ewes aging 3-5 year and weighing 50.94 kg were used to study the
effect of site of semen deposition (vaginal vs. cervical) and the number of
inseminated spermatozoa on conception rate. Sixty-three of them exhibited estrous
after injection of 187.5 pg cloprostenol intramuscularly per ewe 9-12 days post onset
of natural heat. Overall mean time at which estrous has occurred post hormonal
injection was 3350:0651 hrs- and average heat duration was 46.30i1.17 hrs. They
were distributed equally over 3 groups. Animals in the first group (control, group 1)
were inseminated at Os cervix with a dose of 200 x 103 post thaw motile sperm.
Animals in the other two groups were injected intravenously with 20 IU oxytociniewe
to dilate the cervix and were intrauterine trnascervical inseminated within 8 min. of
injection. Doses of 100 x 106 (group 2) and 200 x 106 post thaw motile sperm (group < /p>
3) were used for insemination. Conception rate increased as site of semen
deposition was deeper in the reproductive tract. All ewes (n=21) in group one with
0.0 IU oxytocin was inseminated vaginally; their conception rate was 42.66%. Ewes
in groups 2 and 3 (21 ewes each) were similar in cervical dilation, in response to
oxytocin (20 IU) injection. Percentage of ewes didn't responded to oxytocin and were
vaginally inseminated was 4.76% (2 ewes). They failed to conceive. Those of cervix
partially dilated allowing semen deposition in the cervix (2-4 cm depth) were 9.52%
(4 ewes, 2 ewes each), their conception rate was 50%, while those of cervix
completely dilated and intrauterine transcervically were 35.71% (36 ewes, 16 ewes
each). Their conception rates were 55.6 and 61.11%, respectively. Conception rate
was significantly higher between group 3 (61.11%) and grouo 1 (42.96%).
It could be concluded that non surgical intrauterine insemination in ewes
using frogen thawed semen increased conception rates as site of semen deposition
was deeper in the reproductive tract.