Comparison of pregnancy rates in dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarius) after deep intra-uterine versus cervical insemination

The ovarian follicular wave patterns of sixty adult female camels were monitored by serial trans-rectal ultrasound examinations and when the dominant follicle reached 1.3–1.8 cm in diameter they received a single intravenous injection of 20 μg buserelin, to induce ovulation, and were inseminated with a known number of spermatozoa 24 h later. Ejaculates were collected from the male camels and diluted 1:1 in Green Buffer with 20% egg yolk (v:v) added. Sperm concentration and motility were assessed and a dose of 40, 80 or 150 × 106 motile spermatozoa were deposited either just through the cervix into the uterine body or at the tip of the horn ipsilateral with the ovary containing the dominant follicle. Insemination of 150, 80 and 40 × 106 spermatozoa into the uterine body resulted in conception rates of 53, 7 and 0%, respectively, whereas insemination at the tip of the uterine horn resulted in conception rates of 43, 40 and 7%, respectively.