Conception Following Transcervical Insemination with Predetermined Ejaculate Concentration in Synchronized West African Dwarf Does

The possibility of achieving conception through artificial insemination with diluted semen sample of pre-determined ejaculate concentration was investigated in six (6) adult West African dwarf (WAD) goat does. Two adult WAD bucks certified as satisfactory potential breeders were involved in the study. The animals were maintained on 12% crude protein concentrate, greens and fresh water ad libitum. Semen was collected from the bucks via electroejaculation method and pooled. The semen collected was diluted with freshly prepared standard sodium citrate- egg yolk extender to contain 107 sperm cells/0.54ml of final ejaculate. The six does were synchronized using two intramuscular injections, seven days apart of Lutalyse(R) and inseminated transcervically with 0.54ml of the final ejaculate at the 84th and 96th hours following the second injection of Lutalyse®. The results showed that all six does (i.e. 100%) failed to return to estrus within 22 days post insemination as evaluated via exfoliated vaginal cells. Only 66.7% (i.e. 4) of the does however were confirmed pregnant via ultrasonographic scan which was conducted with 3.5MHz transabdominal transducer at day 60 post insemination. The present study showed that transcervical insemination with freshly collected, citrate- egg yolk diluted buck semen containing 107 sperm cells achieved conception in synchronized West African dwarf does. This finding is a step that will lead to further research aimed at investigating the minimum concentration of ejaculate that can achieve conception in the WAD breed of goats.