SBIR-STTR Award

Because of its overall popularity, pork represents a significant, worldwide meat-protein source to be utilized in feeding the world's burgeoning population. In fact, most of the world prefers pork over any other animal protein. Interestingly, the U.S. is the larger exporter of pork but China is the largest producer and consumer of pork. Globally more than 109 million tons are produced, 11.3 million tons in the U.S. In order to meet this wordwide demand, farmers rely on a challenging production goal of 30 piglets/year/sow, attainable only if reproduction is efficient and effective. One key to efficient production of pork is the ability to maintain low-cost reproduction and rapid genetic improvement of a farmer's existing herd. Unfortunately, cooled semen (the current technology) and frozen semen both have significant disadvantages. In this Phase I SBIR proposal Membrane Protective Technologies, Inc. attempts to surmount the issues associated with cooled semen by developing a novel system for freezing sperm. The technology, GameteGuard™, has provided protection for frozen bull sperm improving pregnancy rates in lactating cows by 15-25%! This same advantage could allow frozen-thawed boar sperm to become economical. Moreover, and perhaps more importantly, by improving the economics associated with freezing boar sperm, the biosecurity would be improved. Freezing sperm eneables producers the time to check boar sperm for disease that are associated with sperm. PRRS (porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome), a disease that has devastated much of swine industry in recent years, has been transmitted by sperm carrying the virus; similarly, diseases like PEDv (porcine endemic diarrhea virus) have also been spread by vehicles such as semen delivery trucks traveling from farm to farm. The overall goal of this phase I project is to develop a method for the freezing of boar sperm using GameteGuard™ which results in a statistically significant increase (p<0.05) in the percentage of healthy (acrosome, membrane and DNA intact) sperm per dose compared to control, to ultimately providing an increase in pregnancy and farrowing rate with frozen-thawed sperm

The ability to freeze boar semen provides several advantages including disease reduction, more rapid genetic transfer, genetic banking, and more precise correlation with optimum female fertility. Although freezing is routine technology in many livestock species, it is not so in teh swine industry. Unfortunately, in boars, sperm quality inconsistencies and poor fertility make this technology commercially uneconomical today because it results in smaller litter sizes and decreased farrowing (birthing) rates.Freezing boar sperm is substantially different than other agricultural species requiring transportation, freezing, thawing an ddilution. Based on MPTI's phase I data, the transportation step has a substantial impact on the finished product. MPTI's product GameteGuard forms the basis for a freezing system that together can be used to optimize post-thaw sperm health. In Phase I the technology resulted in a 25% incrase in sperm health with only a new freezing medium. In phase II, MPTI will execute multiple breeding trials interspaced within development of shipping and thawing medium to complete the creation of a full freezing system for boar sperm.This technology could save pork producers >$6mm annually over the existing frozen technology, and commercial interest is evident in teh collaboration agreement for commercialization that MPTI has formed with a large pork producer. GamteGuard freezing system will impart a competative advantage to the U.S. pork industry. Improving fertility will help enable food production for a burgeoning world population and meets USDA's REE-Action plan objective 1.