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Reproduction in domestic animals = Zuchthygiene2018; 54(3); 514-519; doi: 10.1111/rda.13390

Evaluation of a portable device for assessment of motility in stallion semen.

Abstract: In horse breeding, quality assessment of semen before insemination is often requested. Non-laboratory-based techniques for objective analysis of sperm motility are thus of interest. The aim of this study was evaluating a portable device for semen analysis (Ongo sperm test) and its comparison with computer-assisted semen analysis (CASA). Semen was collected from 10 stallions, diluted to 100, 50 and 25 × 106  sperm/ml and analysed for total (TM) and progressive motility (PM). The final sperm concentration influenced total motility analysed by Ongo (p < 0.05) which was higher at 100 × 106  sperm/ml when compared to 25 × 106  sperm/ml (p < 0.05) but not when compared to 50 × 106  sperm/ml (n.s.). Sperm concentration did not influence total motility when assessed by SpermVision (n.s.). Agreement between methods was evaluated by correlation analysis and Bland-Altman plot. Intra-assay variation of Ongo was 5.2% ± 3.0 for TM and 6.9% ± 3.4 for PM. Correlation between Ongo and CASA was r = 0.79, 0.88 and 0.83 for 100, 50 and 25 × 106  sperm/ml for TM, and r = 0.87, 0.89 and 0.87 for PM, respectively (all p < 0.001). At the 100 and 25 mio/ml dilutions, the difference between the two systems deviated significantly from 0, while no such bias existed at the 50 mio/ml dilution (TM Ongo 85.0%, CASA 82.3%; PM Ongo 64.1%, CASA 66.1%). The 95% confidence interval was 19.9%, 18.9% and 19.2% ± mean for TM and 20.7%, 17.4% and 20.3% ± mean for 100, 50 and 25 × 106  sperm/ml, respectively. In conclusion, Ongo sperm test sperm motility data were strongly correlated with data obtained by CASA. In addition, at a concentration of 50 × 106  sperm/ml values measured with both systems were close to identical. At this concentration, which is recommended in equine AI, Ongo and CASA can be used interchangeably.
Publication Date: 2018-12-28 PubMed ID: 30592335PubMed Central: PMC7379573DOI: 10.1111/rda.13390Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article

Summary

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This study examines the efficacy of a portable device, the Ongo sperm test, in analyzing the motility of stallion semen, comparing it to the traditional computer-assisted semen analysis (CASA) method. The research found a strong correlation between the results produced by the Ongo test and the CASA method, especially at a specific concentration of semen.

Research Objectives

  • The primary aim of this research was to evaluate the effectiveness and accuracy of a portable device called the Ongo sperm test in analyzing the motility of stallion semen for horse breeding.
  • Moreover, the study intended to compare the results produced by the Ongo sperm test with those obtained through the traditional method of semen analysis: computer-assisted semen analysis (CASA).

Methodology

  • Semen was collected from 10 stallions and diluted to different concentrations: 100, 50 and 25 × 10 sperm/ml.
  • The researchers then performed total motility (TM) and progressive motility (PM) analyses on these samples using both the Ongo test and the CASA system.
  • Correlation analysis and Bland-Altman plots were used to evaluate the agreement between the two methods. The intra-assay variation of the Ongo test was also measured.

Results

  • The study found that the final sperm concentration notably influenced the total motility when analyzed by the Ongo test. The highest total motility was observed at 100 × 10 sperm/ml when compared to 25 × 10 sperm/ml. Yet, no significant difference was noted when compared to 50 × 10 sperm/ml.
  • However, the sperm concentration did not seem to impact the total motility when analyzed through the SpermVision system.
  • The correlation between the Ongo test and CASA was relatively high, showing strong agreement between the two methods of semen motility analysis.
  • The study discovered significant differences between the two systems when examining semen samples at 100 and 25 million/ml dilutions, but not at a 50 million/ml dilution.

Conclusion

  • The Ongo sperm test produced semen motility data that strongly correlated with the data obtained by the CASA system.
  • At a semen concentration of 50 × 10 sperm/ml – a level recommended for equine artificial insemination – the values measured by both the Ongo test and CASA were nearly identical.
  • This consistency suggests that, at this concentration, the two systems can be used interchangeably for stallion semen motility analysis, making the Ongo test a viable option for non-laboratory-based sperm motility evaluations.

Cite This Article

APA
Buss T, Aurich J, Aurich C. (2018). Evaluation of a portable device for assessment of motility in stallion semen. Reprod Domest Anim, 54(3), 514-519. https://doi.org/10.1111/rda.13390

Publication

ISSN: 1439-0531
NlmUniqueID: 9015668
Country: Germany
Language: English
Volume: 54
Issue: 3
Pages: 514-519

Researcher Affiliations

Buss, Tammo
  • Artificial Insemination and Embryo Transfer, Department for Small Animals and Horses, Vetmeduni Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Aurich, Jörg
  • Section for Obstetrics, Gynecology and Andrology, Department for Small Animals and Horses, Vetmeduni Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Aurich, Christine
  • Artificial Insemination and Embryo Transfer, Department for Small Animals and Horses, Vetmeduni Vienna, Vienna, Austria.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Fertility
  • Horses / physiology
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
  • Male
  • Semen / cytology
  • Semen Analysis / instrumentation
  • Semen Analysis / veterinary
  • Sperm Motility
  • Spermatozoa / ultrastructure

Conflict of Interest Statement

None of the authors have any conflict of interest to declare.

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Citations

This article has been cited 6 times.
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