Analyze Diet
Theriogenology2000; 50(4); 559-573; doi: 10.1016/s0093-691x(98)00161-7

Bacteriology of preserved stallion semen and antibiotics in semen extenders.

Abstract: Three experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of different antibiotics in a milk-glucose semen extender on motility of equine sperm and elimination of bacteria following storage of extended semen in vitro. In Experiment 1, 7 antibiotics were compared: amikacin, gentamicin, streptomycin, potassium penicillin, sodium penicillin, ticarcillin, and polymixin B. In Experiment 2, 3 antibiotic treatments were compared: potassium penicillin G, amikacin, or a combination of potassium penicillin G and amikacin. In Experiment 3, 3 antibiotic treatments were compared: potassium penicillin G-amikacin, ceptiofur, and a combination of ticarcillin and clavulanic acid (Timentin). Control treatments (antibiotic-free extender) were included in each experiment. Six motility variables were evaluated: percentage of motile sperm; percentage of progressively-motile sperm; percentage of rapidly-motile sperm; mean curvilinear velocity; mean average path velocity; and mean straight-line velocity. In Experiment 1, mean percentages of motile, progressively motile and rapidly motile sperm were lower (P < 0.05) in semen exposed to polymixin B then in other treatments. Mean average-path velocity of sperm in extender containing polymixin B was lower (P < 0.05) than that of all other treatments, with exception of control or ticarcillin. Mean straight-line velocity of sperm in extender containing polymixin B was lower (P < 0.05) than that of all other treatments, with exception of control, streptomycin or ticarcillin. Semen samples containing gentamicin, amikacin, streptomycin, or potassium penicillin were more effective (P < 0.05) at eliminating bacterial growth than those samples containing polymixin B. Semen samples containing gentamicin were also more effective (P < 0.05) at eliminating bacterial growth than those samples containing ticarcillin or sodium penicillin. In Experiment 2, mean percentage of rapidly-motile sperm, and mean curvilinear, average-path, and straight-line velocities were greater (P < 0.05) for potassium penicillin-amikacin than values for all other treatments. In 2 of 3 stallions, an effect of treatment on percentage of motile sperm was detected (P < 0.05). For one stallion, mean motility of potassium penicillin-amikacin was greater (P < 0.05) than that of all other treatment groups. For another stallion, mean motility of the control was lower (P < 0.05) than that of the other treatments. Following storage, potassium penicillin (16/18 [89%]) or potassium penicillin-amikacin (17/19 [94%]) were more effective (P < 0.05) at controlling aerobic and anaerobic bacterial isolates in semen specimens than was amikacin (10/18 [56%]). In Experiment 3, a difference among treatment groups for motility variables was not detected (P < 0.05). No bacterial growth was recovered in antibiotic-treated semen, with exception of Micrococcus sp. (2 colonies) which were isolated from one semen specimen treated with ceptiofur.
Publication Date: 2000-03-25 PubMed ID: 10732147DOI: 10.1016/s0093-691x(98)00161-7Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
  • Comparative Study
  • Journal Article

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research article focuses on the study of the different antibiotics used in a milk-glucose semen extender and their effects on the motility of horse sperm and eradication of bacteria during in-vitro extended semen storage.

Research Design and Experiments

The study is divided into three experiments:

  • Experiment 1: Seven antibiotics were compared – amikacin, gentamicin, streptomycin, potassium penicillin, sodium penicillin, ticarcillin, and polymixin B. Their effects on six motility variables of horse sperm such as percentage of motile, progressively-motile, and rapidly-motile sperm, mean curvilinear velocity, etc., were measured.
  • Experiment 2: Three antibiotic treatments were compared – potassium penicillin G, amikacin, and a combination of potassium penicillin G and amikacin. The experiment examined the effects of these antibiotics on sperm motility variables.
  • Experiment 3: In this, potassium penicillin G-amikacin, ceptiofur, and a combination of ticarcillin and clavulanic acid (Timentin) were compared. The focus was to examine if treatment had any effect on sperm motility variables.

Results and Conclusions

  • In Experiment 1, it was observed that polymixin B adversely affected sperm motility and was less effective in eliminating bacterial growth compared to other antibiotics.
  • In Experiment 2, the combination of potassium penicillin-amikacin was found to be most effective in improving sperm motility variables and controlling bacterial growth compared to other treatments.
  • In Experiment 3, no significant difference in sperm motility variables was noticed among the different treatment groups. However, no bacterial growth was found in semen samples treated with antibiotics, except for some instances with the use of ceptiofur.
  • The results suggested that different antibiotics in the semen extender play diverse roles in sperm motility and bacterial control, with the combination of potassium penicillin-amikacin showing the most promising results.

Cite This Article

APA
Varner DD, Scanlan CM, Thompson JA, Brumbaugh GW, Blanchard TL, Carlton CM, Johnson L. (2000). Bacteriology of preserved stallion semen and antibiotics in semen extenders. Theriogenology, 50(4), 559-573. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0093-691x(98)00161-7

Publication

ISSN: 0093-691X
NlmUniqueID: 0421510
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 50
Issue: 4
Pages: 559-573

Researcher Affiliations

Varner, D D
  • Department of Large Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station 77843-4475, USA.
Scanlan, C M
    Thompson, J A
      Brumbaugh, G W
        Blanchard, T L
          Carlton, C M
            Johnson, L

              MeSH Terms

              • Amikacin / administration & dosage
              • Animals
              • Anti-Bacterial Agents / administration & dosage
              • Clavulanic Acid / administration & dosage
              • Colony Count, Microbial
              • Gentamicins / administration & dosage
              • Horses
              • Male
              • Penicillins / administration & dosage
              • Polymyxin B / administration & dosage
              • Semen / microbiology
              • Semen Preservation
              • Sperm Motility
              • Streptomycin / administration & dosage
              • Ticarcillin / administration & dosage

              Citations

              This article has been cited 12 times.
              1. Quiñones-Pérez C, Martínez A, Ortiz I, Crespo F, Vega-Pla JL. The Semen Microbiome and Semen Parameters in Healthy Stallions. Animals (Basel) 2022 Feb 22;12(5).
                doi: 10.3390/ani12050534pubmed: 35268102google scholar: lookup
              2. Ghoneim IM, Al-Mubarak AH, Fayez MM, Waheed MM, El-Bahr SM. Impact of antibiotics on spermatozoa quality and bacterial load of chilled-stored camels (Camelus dromedarius) semen. Trop Anim Health Prod 2021 Dec 22;54(1):21.
                doi: 10.1007/s11250-021-03002-9pubmed: 34936039google scholar: lookup
              3. Malaluang P, Wilén E, Lindahl J, Hansson I, Morrell JM. Antimicrobial Resistance in Equine Reproduction. Animals (Basel) 2021 Oct 22;11(11).
                doi: 10.3390/ani11113035pubmed: 34827768google scholar: lookup
              4. Quiñones-Pérez C, Hidalgo M, Ortiz I, Crespo F, Vega-Pla JL. Characterization of the seminal bacterial microbiome of healthy, fertile stallions using next-generation sequencing. Anim Reprod 2021;18(2):e20200052.
                doi: 10.1590/1984-3143-AR2020-0052pubmed: 34394753google scholar: lookup
              5. Anel-Lopez L, Riesco MF, Montes-Garrido R, Neila-Montero M, Boixo JC, Chamorro C, Ortega-Ferrusola C, Carvajal A, Altonaga JR, de Paz P, Alvarez M, Anel L. Comparing the Effect of Different Antibiotics in Frozen-Thawed Ram Sperm: Is It Possible to Avoid Their Addition?. Front Vet Sci 2021;8:656937.
                doi: 10.3389/fvets.2021.656937pubmed: 34150884google scholar: lookup
              6. Al-Kass Z, Eriksson E, Bagge E, Wallgren M, Morrell JM. Microbiota of semen from stallions in Sweden identified by MALDI-TOF. Vet Anim Sci 2020 Dec;10:100143.
                doi: 10.1016/j.vas.2020.100143pubmed: 33145452google scholar: lookup
              7. Tsakmakidis IA, Samaras T, Anastasiadou S, Basioura A, Ntemka A, Michos I, Simeonidis K, Karagiannis I, Tsousis G, Angelakeris M, Boscos CM. Iron Oxide Nanoparticles as an Alternative to Antibiotics Additive on Extended Boar Semen. Nanomaterials (Basel) 2020 Aug 10;10(8).
                doi: 10.3390/nano10081568pubmed: 32784995google scholar: lookup
              8. Quiñones-Pérez C, Martínez A, Crespo F, Vega-Pla JL. Comparative Semen Microbiota Composition of a Stallion in a Taylorella equigenitalis Carrier and Non-Carrier State. Animals (Basel) 2020 May 17;10(5).
                doi: 10.3390/ani10050868pubmed: 32429567google scholar: lookup
              9. Santos CS, Silva AR. Current and alternative trends in antibacterial agents used in mammalian semen technology. Anim Reprod 2020 Mar 17;17(1):e20190111.
              10. Gibb Z, Aitken RJ. The Impact of Sperm Metabolism during In Vitro Storage: The Stallion as a Model. Biomed Res Int 2016;2016:9380609.
                doi: 10.1155/2016/9380609pubmed: 26881234google scholar: lookup
              11. Dietz JP, Sertich PL, Boston RC, Benson CE. Comparison of ticarcillin and piperacillin in Kenney's semen extender. Theriogenology 2007 Oct 1;68(6):848-52.
              12. Zabala SM, Serres C, Montero N, Crespo F, Lorenzo PL, Pérez-Aguilera V, Galán C, Domínguez-Gimbernat M, Oliet A, Moreno S, González-Zorn B, Gutiérrez-Cepeda L. Strategies to Reduce the Use of Antibiotics in Fresh and Chilled Equine Semen. Animals (Basel) 2024 Jan 5;14(2).
                doi: 10.3390/ani14020179pubmed: 38254348google scholar: lookup