Historic Overview
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Legends involving breeding animals without live cover date back centuries. One of the earliest tales comes from the ancient deserts of the middle east, where nomadic tribes traversed the deserts with camels, and one of the oldest breeds of horses. The legends tells of a noble tribal leader, who greatly envied the beautiful horses of his rival. Under the cover of night, the devious chieftain rode to land of his enemy and collected semen from his best stallion. With the genetics of these superior horses, he was able to improve his own stock, gaining him more respect and admiration among his friends, and a deeper rivalry between the tribes.
Now, whether or not this story is true, the ideas behind artificial insemination date back much earlier than we would believe. Starting in the 15th century, people began to question the smallest processes involved in reproduction and develop technologies in order to improve their efficiency. Most notably, Ivanow began to introduce the basic concepts and procedures involved in A.I and integrate them into animal production. From there the technologies sparked new research in many different countries, especially Russia, Italy and Japan. However, A.I. technologies were not truly streamlined and fully integrated into a nation's agricultural system before they reached America in the early 20th century.
Now, whether or not this story is true, the ideas behind artificial insemination date back much earlier than we would believe. Starting in the 15th century, people began to question the smallest processes involved in reproduction and develop technologies in order to improve their efficiency. Most notably, Ivanow began to introduce the basic concepts and procedures involved in A.I and integrate them into animal production. From there the technologies sparked new research in many different countries, especially Russia, Italy and Japan. However, A.I. technologies were not truly streamlined and fully integrated into a nation's agricultural system before they reached America in the early 20th century.
The A.I. History Timeline
1678: Dr. Leeuwenhoeck and his assistant, Dr. Hamm, observe sperm under ground lenses of 270 magnification and label them as “animalcules”. Leeuwenhoeck publishes a paper about his discoveries to the Royal Society the same year and catches the interest of the king of England.
1784: The first successful insemination was performed by Professor Spallazani in Italy, on a dog who gave birth to three pups sixty-two days later.
1897: Reports from several countries begin to surface that A.I has been used in isolation studies involving dogs, rabbits, and horses, and Cambridge becomes the world center for reproductive studies.
1899: Ivanow pushes for the use of A.I as a practical procedure in Russia.
1907: Ivanow has already studied A.I in domestic farm animals, foxes, dogs, rabbits, and poultry. Most of this information, especially that having to do with horses, is included in the July issue of the Journal of Agricultural Science in 1922.
1912: Ivanow develops semen extenders and trains technicians to breed selectively and record their data. Dr. Ishikawa, a colleague of Ivanow's, returns to Japan and begins a similar program in horses, which gradually leads to the development of A.I in Japanese animals.
1914: Amantea develops the first artificial vagina for dogs in Italy.
1933: Walton experiments with a shipment of ram semen sent to Poland, which is used for successful insemination of ewes after two days.
1934: Lagerlöf completes his Ph.D. dissertation on infertility problems in bulls and establishes a group with worldwide influence who trains veterinarians in the verious aspects of fertility and A.I while the Cornell DVM W. W. Williams publishes methods of staining spermatozoa.
1936: Dr. Sørensen and Gylling-Holm organize the first dairy A.I organization in Denmark. Their program invloves 1,070 cows its first year and fifty-nine percent conceive. Later, Danish veterinarians establish the method of rectovaginal fixation of the cervix, which allowed for insemination with less sperm per cow.
1937: Italian scientist Bonadonna continues research of the A.I of many species, and coupled with the Scandinavian Lagerlöf's enthusiasm about its potential, establishes the International Congress on A.I and Animal Reproduction.
1938: Milovanov takes over most of Ivanow's A.I work in Russia and establishes major projects for sheep and cattle while inventing new breeding tools similar to the ones used today.
1940: Sørensen invents the straw used to package semen, which Cassou from France later improves and sells commercially to be used worldwide.
1948: The first International Congress on A.I and Animal Reproduction is held in Milan.
1950: Scandinavian scientist Blom publishes the first papers on abnormal sperm morphology.
1784: The first successful insemination was performed by Professor Spallazani in Italy, on a dog who gave birth to three pups sixty-two days later.
1897: Reports from several countries begin to surface that A.I has been used in isolation studies involving dogs, rabbits, and horses, and Cambridge becomes the world center for reproductive studies.
1899: Ivanow pushes for the use of A.I as a practical procedure in Russia.
1907: Ivanow has already studied A.I in domestic farm animals, foxes, dogs, rabbits, and poultry. Most of this information, especially that having to do with horses, is included in the July issue of the Journal of Agricultural Science in 1922.
1912: Ivanow develops semen extenders and trains technicians to breed selectively and record their data. Dr. Ishikawa, a colleague of Ivanow's, returns to Japan and begins a similar program in horses, which gradually leads to the development of A.I in Japanese animals.
1914: Amantea develops the first artificial vagina for dogs in Italy.
1933: Walton experiments with a shipment of ram semen sent to Poland, which is used for successful insemination of ewes after two days.
1934: Lagerlöf completes his Ph.D. dissertation on infertility problems in bulls and establishes a group with worldwide influence who trains veterinarians in the verious aspects of fertility and A.I while the Cornell DVM W. W. Williams publishes methods of staining spermatozoa.
1936: Dr. Sørensen and Gylling-Holm organize the first dairy A.I organization in Denmark. Their program invloves 1,070 cows its first year and fifty-nine percent conceive. Later, Danish veterinarians establish the method of rectovaginal fixation of the cervix, which allowed for insemination with less sperm per cow.
1937: Italian scientist Bonadonna continues research of the A.I of many species, and coupled with the Scandinavian Lagerlöf's enthusiasm about its potential, establishes the International Congress on A.I and Animal Reproduction.
1938: Milovanov takes over most of Ivanow's A.I work in Russia and establishes major projects for sheep and cattle while inventing new breeding tools similar to the ones used today.
1940: Sørensen invents the straw used to package semen, which Cassou from France later improves and sells commercially to be used worldwide.
1948: The first International Congress on A.I and Animal Reproduction is held in Milan.
1950: Scandinavian scientist Blom publishes the first papers on abnormal sperm morphology.