Pregnancy outcomes using stallion epididymal sperm stored at 5 °C for 24 or 48 hours before harvest.
Abstract: The cryopreservation of epididymal sperm can be useful in a variety of circumstances for ensuring genetic preservation of a valued stallion. Although early studies have reported pregnancy rates significantly lower than those achieved with cryopreserved ejaculated sperm, two recent studies report over 60% one-cycle pregnancy rates with epididymal sperm stored for 24 hours at 5 °C before harvest and cryopreservation. The aims of this study were to: (1) attempt to replicate the one-cycle pregnancy rate of over 60% using epididymal sperm cooled and stored within the epididymis for 24 hours before harvest and cryopreservation and (2) evaluate pregnancy outcome with sperm cooled and stored within the epididymis for 48 hours before sperm harvest and cryopreservation. Testicles were obtained from 13 stallions undergoing routine castration. The epididymides were stored at 5 °C for either 24 or 48 hours before sperm harvest and cryopreservation in an egg yolk and dimethylformamide-based freezing extender. Thirteen mares were bred on one cycle with cryopreserved epididymal sperm stored for 24 hours before harvest, and 10 of those 13 mares were also bred on a previous or subsequent cycle with samples from the same stallion that had been stored for 48 hours before harvest. Pregnancy occurred in 7 of the 13 inseminations of sperm stored for 24 hours before harvest, and in 4 of the 10 inseminations of sperm stored for 48 hours before harvest. The pregnancy rate using epididymal sperm stored for 24 hours before harvest is consistent with that of previous reports. In addition, these results provide evidence that pregnancies can be achieved when the epididymides are cooled and stored for 48 hours before sperm harvest and cryopreservation.
Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2015-10-22 PubMed ID: 26559467DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2015.10.009Google 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.
- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research focuses on the success rates of pregnancies in mares after being inseminated with epididymal sperm that has been stored and cooled at 5°C for either 24 or 48 hours prior to sperm harvest and cryopreservation. It aims to replicate previous studies that achieved a 60% success rate with 24-hour storage before harvest and to investigate if similar results could be obtained with a 48-hour storage period.
Purpose of the Research
The primary goal of this research was to:
- Replicate an approximately 60% one-cycle pregnancy rate using epididymal sperm cooled and stored within the epididymis for 24 hours before harvest and cryopreservation, results which had been previously obtained in other studies.
- Evaluate the pregnancy outcome using epididymal sperm that has been cooled and stored within the epididymis for 48 hours prior to sperm harvest and cryopreservation – a new area of study.
Procedure of the Experiment
Testicles were obtained from 13 stallions that had been castrated as part of a routine procedure. The epididymides were cooled and stored at 5 °C for either 24 or 48 hours prior to the sperm harvest and cryopreservation. The freezing extender used in the cryopreservation was based on egg yolk and dimethylformamide.
Experiment Setup and Results
On one cycle, 13 mares were inseminated with the cryopreserved epididymal sperm that was stored for 24 hours before the harvest. Out of the initial group of 13 mares, 10 mares were then also inseminated in a previous or subsequent cycle with samples from the same stallion that had been stored for 48 hours before harvest.
The study found that:
- 7 out of the 13 inseminations resulted in pregnancy when using sperm stored for 24 hours before harvest. This result agrees with the previous success rate found in other studies.
- 4 out of the 10 inseminations resulted in pregnancy when using sperm stored for 48 hours before harvest. This demonstrated that successful pregnancies can still be achieved even when the epididymides are stored and cooled for 48 hours before the harvest and cryopreservation of sperm.
The study effectively provides useful insight into the potential of epididymal sperm usage within breeding practices, extending the viability of sperm storage up to a 48-hour timeframe while still maintaining successful pregnancy outcomes.
Cite This Article
APA
Stawicki RJ, McDonnell SM, Giguère S, Turner RM.
(2015).
Pregnancy outcomes using stallion epididymal sperm stored at 5 °C for 24 or 48 hours before harvest.
Theriogenology, 85(4), 698-702.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.theriogenology.2015.10.009 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Section of Reproduction and Behavior, University of Pennsylvania, School of Veterinary Medicine, New Bolton Center, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, USA; Department of Large Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA. Electronic address: rstawick@uga.edu.
- Section of Reproduction and Behavior, University of Pennsylvania, School of Veterinary Medicine, New Bolton Center, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, USA.
- Department of Large Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA.
- Section of Reproduction and Behavior, University of Pennsylvania, School of Veterinary Medicine, New Bolton Center, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Cryopreservation / veterinary
- Epididymis / physiology
- Female
- Horses / physiology
- Insemination, Artificial / veterinary
- Male
- Pregnancy
- Semen Preservation / veterinary
- Spermatozoa / physiology
- Time Factors
Citations
This article has been cited 3 times.- Podico G, Canisso IF. Retrograde Flushing Followed by Slicing Float-Up as an Approach to Optimize Epididymal Sperm Recovery for the Purpose of Cryopreservation in Equids. Animals (Basel) 2022 Jul 14;12(14).
- Lago-Alvarez Y, Podico G, Segabinazzi LG, Cunha LL, Barbosa L, Arnold CE, Lima FS, King LT, McLean AK, Canisso IF. Donkey Epididymal Transport for Semen Cooling and Freezing. Animals (Basel) 2020 Nov 25;10(12).
- Tibary A. Grand Challenge Animal Reproduction-Theriogenology: From the Bench to Application to Animal Production and Reproductive Medicine. Front Vet Sci 2017;4:114.
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