DISEASE RISKS TO ANIMAL HEALTH FROM ARTIFICIAL-INSEMINATION WITH BOVINE SEMEN

Two of the major goals of artificial insemination of domesticated anim als are to achieve continuous genetic improvement and to prevent or el iminate venereal disease. In comparison with natural service, fewer ma les are needed to artificially inseminate the same number of females a nd to produce the same number of offspring. However, there are risks a ssociated with artificial insemination, which has the potential to dis seminate genetic defects and also to spread infectious disease nationa lly and internationally. This paper focuses on the risks of six specif ic diseases which are transmitted in bull semen and outlines the appro priate measures to prevent these risks.