ArticleVeterinary world2026
Field evaluation of sexed and conventional semen in Holstein-Friesian cows: Linking semen quality with fertility and calf sex ratio across climatic zones.
Article in Veterinary world, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background and Aim: Sexed semen is increasingly used in dairy breeding programs to enhance herd productivity by increasing the proportion of female calves. However, concerns remain regarding possible trade-offs between semen processing, post-thaw quality, fertility outcomes, and calf sex ratio under field conditions, particularly in smallholder production systems and varying climates. This study evaluated laboratory semen quality and field reproductive performance of sexed and conventional semen in Holstein-Friesian cows across different climatic zones. Materials and Methods: The study combined laboratory semen evaluation and a multisite field trial. Semen was processed using Percoll density gradient centrifugation (PGDC) for sexing and subsequently cryopreserved. Post-thaw quality parameters, including motility, viability, abnormalities, concentration, plasma membrane integrity, intact acrosome cap, total motile spermatozoa, and DNA fragmentation, were assessed and compared with conventional semen using an independent t-test. Field performance was evaluated in 300 clinically healthy cows from three smallholder dairy locations representing low, moderate, and high temperature-humidity index zones. Cows were randomly assigned to receive single- or double dose artificial insemination with either semen type. Non-return rate, conception rate, calving rate, and calf sex ratio were analyzed using Fisher's exact and chi-square tests, with significance set at p < 0.05. Results: Sexed semen showed motility comparable to conventional semen, while viability, concentration, plasma membrane integrity, and intact acrosome cap differed significantly between treatments (p < 0.05). Abnormalities, total motile spermatozoa, and DNA fragmentation were not significantly different (p > 0.05). Across locations, non-return rate, conception rate, and calving rate did not differ significantly between semen types or dosing strategies (p > 0.05). Nevertheless, reproductive performance tended to be higher in the cooler climatic zones. Sexed semen produced a higher proportion of female calves than conventional semen, indicating successful enrichment of X-bearing spermatozoa under field conditions. Conclusion: Sexed semen produced through PGDC maintains acceptable post-thaw quality and field fertility comparable to conventional semen while improving the likelihood of female calf production. Climatic conditions, particularly lower temperature-humidity index, appear to support better reproductive outcomes. These findings support the practical use of sexed semen in smallholder dairy systems, although long-term multilocation studies integrating environmental and management factors are recommended to optimize reproductive efficiency and sustainability.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What Socratic holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.