Research overview: fresh versus frozen semen in felid artificial insemination

Whether semen is used fresh or after cryopreservation strongly affects the success of artificial insemination in cats, since freezing damages a fraction of sperm. This overview surveys comparisons of pregnancy rates achieved with fresh versus frozen-thawed semen in felids and the factors that influence cryosurvival, including species, individual variation, and protocol. It reviews how cryopreservation enables the storage and shipment of genetics but typically yields lower fertility than fresh semen, motivating efforts to improve freezing methods. The review connects this trade-off to genome banking strategy, where frozen samples preserve founder genetics for future use. Understanding the fresh-versus-frozen comparison is important for planning inseminations and for setting realistic expectations in conservation breeding.