Fertilizing capacity of equine spermatozoa stored for 24 hours at 5 or 20 degrees C.
Abstract: A breeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of in vitro storage time and temperature on fertilizing capacity of equine spermatozoa. Semen obtained from one stallion and diluted with skim milk-glucose extender was used to artificially inseminate 45 estrussynchronized mares. The mares were assigned to one of three treatment groups (15 mares per group): 1) insemination with fresh semen (collected within 0.5 h of use), 2) insemination with semen stored for 24 h at 20 degrees C or 3) insemination with semen stored for 24 h at 5 degrees C. The mares were inseminated daily during estrus, from the detection of a 35-mm follicle until ovulation, with 250 x 10(6) progressively motile spermatozoa (based on initial sperm motility of fresh semen). Semen samples (n = 35) were evaluated prior to insemination for percentages of total sperm motility (TSM), progressive sperm motility (PSM) and sperm velocity (SV). Single-cycle 15-d pregnancy rates. resulting from insemination with fresh semen, from fresh semen stored for 24 h at 20 degrees C or from semen stored for 24 h at 5 degrees C were the same (11 15 ; 73%). Mean diameters (mm) of 15-d embryonic vesicles were not different (P>0.05) among these three treatment groups (21.5 +/- 2.9, 19.6 +/- 2.6 and 20.5 +/- 3.6, respectively). Ten pregnant mares were aborted on Day 15 of gestation for use in another project. The pregnancy status of the 23 remaining pregnant mares was again determined at 35 to 40 d and 55 to 60 d of gestation. No pregnancy losses occurred during this time period. Mean TSM percentages were different (P<0.05) among the three groups: the fresh semen percentage was 89 +/- 2, semen stored for 24 h at 20 degrees C was 57 +/- 11 and semen stored for 24 h at 5 degrees C was 80 +/- 6. Similar differences were found for mean PSM and SV. Semen storage at either 20 or 5 degrees C for 24 h had no apparent effect on the fertilizing capacity of the extended semen samples; however, the reduction in all motility parameters tested was more dramatic in semen stored at 20 degrees C than that stored at 5 degrees C.
Publication Date: 1989-10-01 PubMed ID: 16726699DOI: 10.1016/0093-691x(89)90273-2Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The research article examines the impact of different storage conditions (time and temperature) on the fertility of equine spermatozoa. The study concluded that despite changes in motility parameters, 24-hour storage at either 20 or 5 degrees Celsius does not significantly affect the fertilizing capacity of equine spermatozoa.
Study Design and Methodology
- The experiment was a breeding trial that evaluated the effect of in vitro storage time and temperature on the fertility of horse sperm. Semen was collected from a stallion and diluted using a skim milk-glucose extender.
- 45 estrus-synchronized mares were divided into three groups. They were inseminated with fresh semen, semen stored for 24 hours at 20 degrees Celsius, or semen stored for 24 hours at 5 degrees Celsius.
- The mares were inseminated daily from the detection of a 35-mm follicle until ovulation occurred. Each mare received 250 x 10(6) progressively motile spermatozoa.
Measurements and Observations
- Semen samples were evaluated for total sperm motility (TSM), progressive sperm motility (PSM), and sperm velocity (SV).
- The pregnancy rates achieved from insemination with fresh semen, as well as semen stored for 24 hours at 20 degrees Celsius and 5 degrees Celsius, were observed to be the same (73%).
- The size of the embryonic vesicles after 15 days was also consistent across all three groups and any differences were not statistically significant.
- Out of the original number of pregnant mares, ten were aborted on Day 15 for an unrelated project. No pregnancies were lost among the remaining mares over the following period of 55 to 60 days of gestation.
Results and Conclusion
- The total sperm motility was different for each group, with fresh semen having the highest percentage (89%), followed by semen stored at 5 degrees Celsius (80%), and semen stored at 20 degrees Celsius (57%). Similar differences were noted in progressive sperm motility and sperm velocity.
- Despite the evident reduction in motility parameters associated with storage, the capacity of the sperm sample to fertilize remained unchanged after 24 hours, irrespective of the storage temperature (20 or 5 degrees Celsius).
- The study suggests that sperm stored for 24 hours at either 20 or 5 degrees Celsius is equally viable for insemination purposes as fresh semen, though the impact on motility is more pronounced at 20 degrees Celsius compared to 5 degrees Celsius.
Cite This Article
APA
Varner DD, Blanchard TL, Meyers PJ, Meyers SA.
(1989).
Fertilizing capacity of equine spermatozoa stored for 24 hours at 5 or 20 degrees C.
Theriogenology, 32(4), 515-525.
https://doi.org/10.1016/0093-691x(89)90273-2 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Large Animal Medicine and Surgery College of Veterinary Medicine Texas A&M University College Station, TX 77843-4475 USA.
Citations
This article has been cited 3 times.- Brito LFC, Linardi RL, Rosales LAS, Balamurugan NS, Hernández-Avilés C, Ramírez-Agámez L. Evaluation of a Chemically Defined, Long-Term Extender for Liquid Storage of Stallion Semen. Reprod Domest Anim 2025 Sep;60(9):e70126.
- Fakhrildin MB, Alsaadi RA. Honey Supplementation to Semen-Freezing Medium ImprovesHuman Sperm Parameters Post-Thawing. J Family Reprod Health 2014 Mar;8(1):27-31.
- Lindahl J, Dalin AM, Stuhtmann G, Morrell JM. Stallion spermatozoa selected by single layer centrifugation are capable of fertilization after storage for up to 96 h at 6°C prior to artificial insemination. Acta Vet Scand 2012 Jul 12;54(1):40.
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