Radioimmunoassay and related techniques to improve artificial insemination programmes for cattle reared under tropical and sub-tropical conditions. Proceedings of a final research co-ordination meeting

Artificial insemination (AI) is widely used for improvement of cattle production in developed countries. Its use in developing countries is less widespread and the results obtained are far from satisfactory. Under tropical small-farm conditions, a number of socio-economic, organizational, biological and technical factors make the service more difficult to provide and also less efficient. If the major constraints can be identified and overcome, this technology would become more widely adopted and contribute to an increased production of milk and meat, leading to better food security and poverty alleviation. The Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture therefore convened a consultants meeting in May 1994 to advise on the applicability of radioimmunoassay (RIA) for measuring progesterone in milk of dairy cattle to identify the major causes of conception failure and reproductive wastage when AI is used under the conditions prevailing in developing countries. The consultants recommended the initiation of a co-ordinated research project (CRP) on this topic, and developed a comprehensive technical document including the sampling protocol and the range of information that needs to be recorded in order to obtain conclusive results. A five year CRP on the ''Use of RIA and Related Techniques to Identify Ways of Improving Artificial Insemination Programmes for Cattle Reared Under Tropical and Sub-Tropical Conditions'' was initiated in early 1995. The CRP resulted in the development and standardization of methodologies and protocols, including the computer software program termed AIDA (Artificial Insemination Database Application), to determine current status and identify constraints. These methodologies and protocols are now being applied on a wider scale in Member States through regional TC projects in Asia and Africa and country TC projects in Latin America. Contributing to the wider application of progesterone RIA for field level problem solving and provision of diagnostic services of direct benefit to farmers was the completion of a novel ''self-coating'' RIA system, based on a monoclonal antibody to progesterone, at the FAO/IAEA, Agriculture and Biotechnology Laboratory at Seibersdorf. This RIA system dramatically reduces the cost of assaying milk samples and facilitates the development of capability to produce the essential reagents in selected national laboratories of Member States. Training and infrastructure development to achieve self-sufficiency in RIA requirements within each geographical region and to promote the sustainability of RIA applications in livestock production are being pursued through regional and individual TC projects