Abstract

VALVERDE, Anthony  and  MADRIGAL-VALVERDE, Mónica. Computer-assisted semen analysis systems in animal reproduction. Agron. Mesoam [online]. 2018, vol.29, n.2, pp.469-484. ISSN 2215-3608.  http://dx.doi.org/10.15517/ma.v29i2.30613.

Computer-assisted semen analysis (CASA) is used in animal reproduction with the objective of evaluating sperm quality, quickly and reliably. Currently, artificial insemination centers must have reliable and objective systems that ensure the reliability of reproductive data. The aim of this paper was to review computer-assisted semen analysis in livestock species. The use of CASA systems replace routine quality analyzes that introduce biases and leads to different inaccuracy degrees. In addition, if intrinsic limitations of microscopy or sperm with different motility patterns are considered, it is most likely that considerable variability will be introduced which will have an impact on the objectivity of the estimation. At first, this type of technology was inaccessible, but they are currently used routinely in most research laboratories for the evaluation of sperm samples of different species of zootechnical interest.. Computerized techniques are able to issue reports with a high number of characteristics, to minimize the subjective factor of routine semen analysis, and to ensure a better correlation with the fertilizing capacity of spermatozoa by the relationship between sperm motility and functional competence. The use of CASA systems together with multivariate statistical analysis have demonstrated the existence of kinetic and morphometric subpopulations in ejaculates of different species, eliminating the idea that ejaculates are homogeneous, formed by a single sperm population with normal distribution.

Keywords : information systems; computer software; fertility; cattle; spermatozoa.

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