Abstract: The invention relates to a method for increasing the lifespan of animal sperm comprising contacting said sperm with an inhibitor of Slo3 potassium channel. The invention also relates to a use of an inhibitor of Slo3 potassium channel, for increasing the lifespan of animal sperm or motility of capacitated animal sperm, comprising contacting an inhibitor of Slo3 potassium channel with said sperm. Moreover, the invention relates to an artificial insemination instrument for use in artificial insemination of an animal, comprising animal sperm in contact with an inhibitor of Slo3 potassium channel. The invention also relates to a method for artificially inseminating an animal using said artificial insemination instrument. Eventually, the invention relates to a method for increasing the fertility of an animal, comprising contacting sperm of said animal with an inhibitor of Slo3 potassium channel; then artificially inseminating said animal with said sperm.

Abstract: The invention relates to a straw comprising a tube (11) and a gas-permeable and liquid-tight stopper (12), said stopper (12) being arranged in the tube (11), close to an end (16). The invention is characterised in that the stopper (12) comprises an indicator component (20) having a first pre-determined colour in the absence of previous contact with said substance (21) and a second pre-determined colour, of a different shade from that of the first colour, once it has been in contact with said substance (21). The assembly comprises the straw (10) and a device (26) for controlling the filling of the straw.

Abstract: An appliance includes a handle, a speculum tube extending axially from the handle as far as a distal end where it has an opening, a video viewing system having a lens arranged in the speculum tube and a transmission device connected to the lens and connectable to a remote viewing screen, and a lens support for keeping the lens in a predetermined position with respect to the speculum tube, in which position the lens is near the opening and opposite the space situated beyond the opening, characterized in that the speculum tube has an end part and a main part extending between the end part and the handle, the end part being arranged around the support and delimiting the opening, the end part being elastically deformable and the main part being rigid.

Abstract: A straw includes a tube (11), a stopper (13) arranged in the tube and having a passage (35) extending through it, and an emptying needle (14) having a first portion (31) protruding from the stopper as far as a distal end (19) situated in the tube, and a second portion (32) situated in the passage (35) of the stopper, the needle and the stopper forming an insert (12) entirely disposed in the tube and having an internal conduit (24) fluidically connecting the internal spaces of the tube that are situated to either side of the insert, the internal conduit being formed at least in part by the needle. A method for emptying the straw includes establishing a fluidic communication between the needle and a receptacle, and making an opening in the tube in order to connect the dose of liquid-based substance to the atmosphere and allow it to flow.

Abstract: The invention concerns a cryogenic system (1) for vitrifying a substance comprising biological material to be preserved in a receiving region of a thin tube (8), comprising a tank (10) containing a bath (11) of a cryogenic agent and a support member (80) mounted on said tank in a predetermined first position in which said tube is orientated upright, the receiving region being immersed in a liquid zone (17) of said bath, and an opening of said tube being situated above said bath, in a zone of ambient air above said bath, in order to introduce the substance into the tube, the support member being mounted on said tank in a second predetermined position, in which said receiving region is immersed in the liquid zone and said opening is situated immediately above said liquid zone, in a gaseous zone (18) of said bath above said liquid zone and below said zone of ambient air, and being raised from said second position.

Abstract: A device for preserving a predetermined dose of liquid-based substance, notably animal semen or a preservation medium containing embryos or tissue samples, comprises a tube (11) made of a weldable plastics material. The tube allows a service state in which a receiving portion (21) intended to contain the said predetermined dose has a circular cross-section whereas a sealing portion (22) comprises a welded pinch (19) and a transition zone (23). Over at least part of the sealing portion a differentiating edge region (28) gives the external surface of the tube a visual appearance different from the visual appearance of the external surface of the tube outside of the differentiating edge region. A range comprises such a device and a similar device but without the differentiating edge region.

Abstract: The device (1) comprises an inlet element (28) comprising an interface (40) for connecting to an artificial vagina and delimiting an inlet opening (14), a filter delimiting with the inlet element (28) an inlet chamber (41) on the side of the filter turned towards the opening (14) and a collection bag (4) extending between a closed end (8) and an open end (7) in which said inlet element is engaged; said bag and said filter delimiting a collection chamber (42) on the side of the filter turned towards the end (8); by means of which the semen entering through the opening (14) passes through the filter and comes to the collection chamber (42); the filter being a perforated wall (30) having a tubular portion (22) and a bottom portion (15) closing said tubular portion, and having a surface density of orifices (24) that is greater on said bottom portion than on said tubular portion.

Abstract: The straw comprises a tube (11) and a stopper (12) fixed relative to the tube (11) and comprising a male connector tip (29) configured in order that a syringe needle (44) having a female connector tip (45) with a frusto-conical internal surface in accordance with a standard can be connected to said stopper (12) by engagement of the female connector tip (45) of the needle on the male connector tip (29) of the stopper (12). The injection device comprises such a straw (10) and a syringe needle (44). The method of emptying the straw comprises the step of pushing the dose of liquid-based substance (21) packaged in the straw (10) towards the stopper (12).

Abstract: The invention relates to a feeding and positioning device (5) for straws (2) for packing animal semen on a support (4), with a feeding hopper (20) having an inner space (21) which receives the straws and is partially delimited by an inclined and electrically conductive bottom wall (38), an evacuation chute (22) with an inlet orifice, which opens into said inner space, and with an outlet orifice opposite said support, a disentangling system (25) having an electrically conductive and movable part configured to come into contact with said straws and to set them in motion in said inner space, an electrically conductive support, and a mechanical connection interface of said movable part on said support, and electrical connection elements which are directly connected, respectively, to said bottom wall and said support and to said movable part and said support.

Abstract: The invention relates to a storage receptacle (1) with a longitudinal opening (5) through which straws (2) for packing liquid-based substance are passed in a predetermined orientation of the straws, a housing (3) provided for the straws and configured to be inserted slidably in a cover (4) of the receptacle, the latter having an open configuration, in which the housing is partially inserted in the cover and the opening is free for the passage of the straws, and a closure configuration, in which the housing is inserted in the cover and the opening is closed by the cover in order to prohibit the passage of the straws. The housing has a parallelepipedal shape, a first front wall in which the opening is formed, a first bottom wall, two first longitudinal wails extending parallel to the opening, and two first side walls which each have two diagonals of a length less than or equal to the length of the straws.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a composition for use in low dose artificial insemination and to a process for artificial insemination of a female mammal using a dose of sperm originating from a male mammal of the same species that is significantly lower than necessary in the absence of the composition. The preferred female mammal is a sow (Sus scrofa), and preferably the composition is for use in artificial uterine insemination, and the process for artificial insemination preferably is uterine insemination.

Abstract: The straw includes a tube (11) extending between a first end (16) and a second end (17) and includes a gas-permeable but liquid-impermeable plug (12). The tube (11) is made of a thermochromic material that reversibly changes colour at a pre-set temperature threshold, by virtue of which colour change the tube (11) has a first visual appearance if the temperature thereof is below the preset threshold and a second visual appearance that is different from the first visual appearance if the temperature thereof is above the preset threshold.

Abstract: The invention relates to a La-1-like peptide agent that increases sperm motility. It is non-toxic and it may be used to treat male infertility in humans, and also to increase fertility in animals. It may be used in artificial reproductive techniques such as in vitro fertilisation (IVF), including intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). The La-1 like peptide agent may also be used in artificial insemination techniques such as intra-cytoplasmic uterine injection (IUI).

Abstract: The installation (1) comprises a treatment machine (12) and a supply and positioning device (16) configured to receive the straws (2) and dispose them one by one in a predetermined orientation for their treatment by said machine. The device (16) comprises a curved ramp (52) having a reception portion (64) for the straws (2) and an ejection portion (65) for the straws, the ramp being configured to convey, to the ejection portion (65), a straw (2) received on the reception portion (64) and sliding on the ramp (52), the ramp having a concave profile such that said profile has an orientation closer to the vertical in the reception portion (64) than in the ejection portion (65), such that a straw received on the reception portion (64) is accelerated to the ejection portion (65) at which the straw is guided and ejected with a predetermined orientation.

Abstract: An appliance for vaginal penetration includes a grip, the appliance being designed to receive a working tool, especially an insemination gun that passes through the grip. A guiding tube extends the grip in order to form a compact assembly, the guiding tube being designed so as to receive the front tip of the working tool therein and receiving a video viewing device such as an endoscopy-type tube including a lighting element on the front end thereof, the appliance for vaginal penetration including an electronic cell receiving the video images, provided with a device for transmitting images to a remote screen.

Abstract: The container straw comprises a tube (11) and a stopper (12) that is permeable to gasses and impermeable to liquids, which stopper (12) is arranged in the tube (11) near one end (16), characterized in that it comprises an indicator component (20) configured to emit, at least when the container straw (10) is full, light the spectrum of which contains at least one spike having a peak of predetermined wavelength. The assembly comprises the container straw (10) and a container straw recognition device (26).

Abstract: The straw (11) filling device comprises a casing body having a cavity (43) in which the needle (9) of a nozzle (7) is placed. The needle is inserted into the straw tube (12) received in the cavity. The casing body is attached to a carriage separately from the needle. The cavity comprises a distal opening located on the distal end side of the needle, a proximal opening located on the proximal end side of the needle, and a longitudinal opening extending from the distal opening to the proximal opening, thus enabling placement and removal of the needle in and out of the cavity in a direction transverse to the direction of the needle and preventing an adult finger accessing the distal end of the needle. The machine comprises a device of this type and a conveyor (2) designed to keep the straw tube in a filling position during each cycle.

Abstract: The invention relates to a straw comprising a tube (11) extending between a first end (13) and a second end (14) and comprising a stopper (12) placed in the tube near the first end thereof and extending between a first end (17) facing the first end of the tube, and a second end (20) facing the second end of the tube, said stopper and said tube being configured such that, after a liquid substance (22) has come in contact with the stopper via the second end thereof, the stopper blocks the passage of the liquid substance therethrough and is, by pushing on the first end thereof, slidable into the tube toward the second end thereof. Moreover, the stopper comprises, on the side of the second end of the tube, a barrier pad (16) consisting of hydrophobic threads over the entire cross-section of the tube.

Abstract: The system comprises a straw and a liquid dilution medium. The straw comprises a tube (11) extending between a first end and a second end and comprises a gas-permeable, liquid-tight plug, said plug being arranged in the tube (11) in the vicinity of the first end of same and extending between a first end turned towards the first end of the tube (11) and a second end turned towards the second end of the tube (11). Said plug comprises an element (14) impregnated with a reagent (22) at least in the vicinity of a first end turned towards the second end of the tube (11). The liquid medium is provided to produce, by mixing, in predefined conditions, the liquid substance (21). The reagent (22) and the medium(27) are configured such that, when the substance (21) comes into contact with the first end of the impregnated element (14), it forms a hydrogel.

Abstract: The invention concerns a system for collecting animal semen, comprising a container (3) configured to be mounted on an end (9) of an artificial vagina (2), having an internal space (15) configured to receive said semen and configured to comprise a first dilution extender (5) before receiving said semen, and said system (1) comprises a collecting device (4) configured to be at least partially inserted into said container and to be fastened to said vagina, and being interposed between said vagina and said container, said collecting device comprising a flow channel (23) for said semen extending within said internal space of said container and a discharge aperture (26) for said semen open to said internal space; and said system is configured to prevent, at least for the most part, said first dilution extender from passing in said flow channel of said collecting device.