3. Agriculture is a cutting-edge industry with more to it
than just growing crops and milking cows.
At Uni, I became fascinated by the fact that we can
improve productivity of animals by understanding
and improving their efficiency to reproduce.
I’m going to show you the vital role of sex in
agriculture.
5. I was fascinated by animals from a young age…
Photo: Tamara 6 months old, petting zoo
6. and became one of the few who actually ended up
doing what they wanted to do at age 6
“When I grow up I
am going to be an
animal breeder”
Photo: Tamara 6 years, pony club
7. From
Ponies
to
Elephants
to
Tigers
Riding Peow-Pong in Ko Lanta
8. It doesn’t get any better
than this. Working with
animals all over the
world.
13. What are assisted reproductive
technologies?
Assisted
reproductive
technology (ART)
is a general term
referring to
methods used to
achieve pregnancy
by artificial or
partially artificial
means.
14. Artificial insemination
Process in which sperm are placed in the female tract to
facilitate fertilisation
Intrauterine insemination
Collection
15. How is AI done??
Semen can be
deposited directly
into the vagina, Image: www.wiki.ucalgary.ca
cervix or uterus /
16. Sperm Freezing
Removes temporal and spatial (time and
space) restrictions to distribution of superior
genetics
This gives animal breeders more choice when
selecting genetically desired traits
Image: www.isisrfc.com/cryopreservation.php
17. ART advantages include:
The ability to
freeze semen
helps to ensure
the survival of
rare gene pools,
for example
endangered
species.
Image: www.messiah.edu
18. Australian Innovators
Australia is considered to be
• ahead of competitors in the
use of genetic markers and
artificial insemination for
breeding.
• on par with competitors in the
use of DNA-based and protein-
based diagnostic tests and
disease treatments.
Value of Biotechnology to Australian Economy:
www.daff.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/437601/non-gm-report.pdf
19. The next exciting step is being
able to determine the sex of the
offspring
SEX
SELECTION
20. Did you know?
A few animals can determine the sex of their
offspring naturally but maybe we can help them all
and couldn’t we do wondrous things if we did?
• Sex of crocodiles is
determined by egg
incubation
temperature.
• Nemo or Nema? The
head male clown fish
will turn into a female
to maintain social
structure if head female
dies.
Image http://scienceblogs.com
22. Males have X or Y
chromosome-bearing
sperm
Females only have X
X + X = Female
Y + X = Male
23. How?
• Many weird and wonderful techniques
have been reported to determine the
sex of offspring but the only reliable
method is separation based on DNA
content (X larger than Y).
• The sperm are stained and processed
through a machine.
• A laser in the machine is used to
differentiate between sperm that
contain a X or Y chromosomes.
24. Why?
In the agricultural sector sex-selection is most beneficial in
industries in which production traits are sex-linked.
For example a dairy farmer may want more female calves to
produce milk.
But there are many other reasons why sex may be pre-
determined for example:
1) Social: In zoos to maintain normal social structure
(usually one male many females)
2) Medical: To prevent sex-linked diseases of humans such as
haemophilia.
3) Ecological: Increasing numbers of threatened species
27. reducing their ability to complete
their mission – to fertilise the egg.
Image: www.kcl.ac.uk
28. My PhD
studies
To explore
ways to
protect sperm
during
processing for
freezing and
sex-sorting
Target animal = sheep
29. Introduction
• We predicted the fluid, termed seminal plasma, in
which the sperm are suspended in upon ejaculation
may be the answer to protecting sperm during
freezing and sorting.
• We already know that seminal plasma contains
proteins that can protect the sperm from certain
types of stress.
• So, we reasoned that that we could add these
proteins to the sperm and protect them from
damage at both the sexing and freezing stages.
30. Results
We found:
• stressors of sex-sorting cause ram sperm to become
more susceptible to reactive oxygen species (oxidative
stress)
• Preliminary results suggest this may be due to
mechanical insult during processing for sex-sorting
• Addition of seminal plasma proteins or antioxidants
(catalase) protects sperm from oxidative damage
31. Summary
We have had some success and improved fertility but
nothing is ever simple and we have identified that:
• The response is variable
• It depends on:
• The season of the year seminal plasma is
collected .
• At what part of the process the proteins are
added.
• How you add the proteins.
32. So that’s why I choose sex. There is still a lot of work
to be done and there is certainly room in our team if
you want to be part of the excitement?
Photo: Tamara 25 years, friendly cow in Spain
33. We need you on our team
In many cases, Australia’s competitors are also placing considerable effort in developing biotechnology
applications for agriculture. Australia is considered generally to be ahead of competitors in the use of
genetic markers and artificial insemination for breeding, and is on par with competitors in the use of
DNA-based and protein-based diagnostic tests and disease treatments. However, Australia’s agricultural
competitors are well ahead in many other areas, including:
• some genome sequencing projects involving Australian species, e.g. Eucalyptus spp;
• proteomics for agriculture (Australia being on par regarding proteomics for human health);
• development of new vaccines (e.g. sub-unit vaccines) for livestock applications;
• biofuels;
• functional foods and nutraceuticals (based on waste products from agriculture); and
• use of biotechnology in the fibre industry.
Further, competitors that have been considered behind Australia in the past, including Brazil and China,
are catching up fast. Australia needs to ensure that efforts continue to be applied to developing
biotechnology applications where domestic challenges are presented (e.g. high boron soils, salinity,
drought, region specific disease strains, and insecurity).
Australia also needs to ensure it captures international developments which are relevant to Australian
agriculture (e.g. vaccines and diagnostic tests for diseases which are common elsewhere).
Read all about Biotechnology in Australia here:
www.daff.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/437601/non-gm-report.pdf
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BRONZE MEDIA SPONSOR
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& Albion Park
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