The Facts About ABS Sexation Semen
The Sex Sorting Process
Sex sorted semen goes through a few cytometry sorting process to sort X (female) from Y (male) bearing cells based on the gender preference of a dairy or beef producer. Sperm gender sorting procedures using the flow cytometer were first studied in U.S. government research labs in the 1980s. In 1990s, the first calf using this procedure was born and since then, researchers have been working to increase the efficiencies of the semen sorting technique. ABS is currently utilizing the flow cytometry technology to sort semen at the DeForest, Wisconsin, USA facilities. This opportunity allows producers to select progeny gender and also allow producers to choose from a globally recognized ABS product offering.
Differentiating Male From Female
The flow cytometer is able to detect a three to four percent difference in DNA content between male and female sperm. The first step in this procedure is to dilute sperm to a very low concentration and stain them with a fluorescent dye. The sample is then sent through the flow-cytometer at 60 mph under 40 to 60 psi of pressure. As sperm pass through the internal laser beam, the fluorescent dye is excited. Because of the larger X chromosome, female sperm emit slightly more florescence than Y chromosome bearing male sperm. Detectors measure the amount of fluorescence and assign positive or negative charges to each droplet containing a single sperm. Charged deflector plates then split the single stream into three streams: positively charged particles containing one sex go one way, negatively charged particles containing the opposite sex go the other, while uncharged droplets containing multiple sperm or sperm with unidentified sex pass straight through. In a female sort unidentified/multiple sperm and male sperm are discarded.
