Referring to the comments on artificial insemination (AI) and embryo transfer (ET) [Ron Sato, 6 July; also, Adama Traore in his message of 6 July said "At the present status, it is out of the question to consider AI as an alternative reproductive method to natural service (as is often the case in developed countries today) ! ".......Moderator] : I think in Indonesia, we consider AI as an alternative reproductive method to natural service because of many factors:

1. We don't need (for the time being) heat synchronisation to detect heat because usually farmers only have a few cattle and always keep their cattle in the pen. So, it is easy for them to detect the heat and report it to the inseminators nearby.

2. It is more expensive for the farmers to look after the bulls for reproduction.

3. AI is a much simpler method than carrying the bulls, especially in Indonesia which consists of many islands, so the transportation is very expensive.

For the time being in Indonesia, ET is only done by a few experts, unlike AI which has many inseminators. However, good responses for ET have come up from many groups of farmers, as I said in my comments before [5 July], and the embryos were produced by MOET method and in vitro maturation/in vitro fertilization/in vitro culture (IVM/IVF/IVC). So, we can use ET as one good alternative to increase the livestock population and also for breed improvement beside AI.

I think the basic need for the present condition in Indonesia is how to increase animal population as quickly as possible and the answer is AI and ET and, of course, we have to consider the need for the feed and environment where we can get optimum production. The best information to spread out these technologies is that we have to be able to prove to the client agriculturist or farmers that these technologies are good for their benefit.

Caroline W. PhD
Researcher at The Research Institute for Animal Production
Bogor, Ciawi, Indonesia

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