Sperm production and sperm morphology of Swedish Warmblood stallions.
Abstract: The present study investigated daily sperm output and sperm morphology of fresh semen in eight Swedish Warmblood stallions aged 5-8 years. They were used for artificial insemination, and their fertility during the breeding season of semen collection exceeded 60% per cycle. One ejaculate of semen was collected daily for 10 consecutive days from each stallion. The gel-free volume was measured, and the sperm concentration was assessed with a Bürker chamber. The volume of gel-free fraction was multiplied by the sperm concentration to give the total number of spermatozoa (TSN). Sperm morphology was examined in ejaculates collected on days 2, 5 and 10. An aliquot from each ejaculate was fixed in 1 ml formol-saline immediately after collection and examined under a phase-contrast microscope (magnification 1000x) to assess morphological abnormalities. Furthermore smears were prepared and stained according to Williams (carbolfuchsin-eosin) for a more detailed examination of the sperm heads under a light microscope (magnification 1000x). Analysis of variance was applied to data. Total spermatozoa number decreased progressively during the first 8 days of collection, and daily sperm output (DSO) was calculated as mean TSN of collections on days 8-10, being 6.4 x 10(9) spermatozoa. The overall percentages of morphologically normal spermatozoa in ejaculates collected on days 2, 5 and 10 were above 70%, being significantly lower in ejaculate 2 (68.6%) compared with ejaculates 5 and 10 (72.9% respectively 75.3%).
Publication Date: 2008-05-27 PubMed ID: 18507801DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0531.2007.00985.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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This study explores the daily sperm production and the quality of fresh semen in eight Swedish Warmblood stallions aged 5-8 years. The researchers found that the sperm count generally decreased over time, and that while the percentage of morphologically normal sperm was over 70%, it was lower in the second ejaculate compared to later ones.
Research Objectives and Methods
- Research was centered on analysing the daily sperm output and morphology in eight Swedish Warmblood stallions aged 5-8 years. These specific stallions were selected due to their use for artificial insemination, and the fact that their fertility had exceeded 60% per cycle in the breeding season.
- The researchers collected one ejaculate of semen per day over a consecutive 10-day period from each stallion.
- Several parameters were measured: the gel-free volume of the semen, the sperm concentration (using a Bürker chamber), and the total number of spermatozoa (calculated by multiplying the volume of the gel-free fraction by the sperm concentration).
- Sperm morphology was examined on days 2, 5 and 10. An aliquot from each ejaculate was preserved in 1 ml formol-saline immediately after collection and examined via phase-contrast microscopy for morphological anomalies.
- Smears were prepared and stained using the Williams carbolfuchsin-eosin technique for a more detailed examination of the sperm heads under a light microscope.
Research Findings
- The number of total spermatozoa progressively decreased over the first 8 days of collection. However, the daily sperm output (DSO), calculated as the mean total number of spermatozoa from collections on days 8-10, was reported as 6.4 x 109 spermatozoa.
- The study found that overall percentages of morphologically normal spermatozoa in ejaculates collected on days 2, 5, and 10 were above 70%.
- Interestingly, the percentage of normal spermatozoa was significantly lower in the second ejaculate (68.6%) compared to the fifth and tenth ejaculates (72.9% and 75.3% respectively).
Cite This Article
APA
Einarsson S, Dalin AM, Lundeheim N.
(2008).
Sperm production and sperm morphology of Swedish Warmblood stallions.
Reprod Domest Anim, 44(1), 33-36.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0531.2007.00985.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Division of Reproduction, Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, CRU, Uppsala, Sweden. stig.einarsson@kv.slu.se
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Breeding
- Fertility
- Horses / physiology
- Insemination, Artificial / veterinary
- Male
- Seasons
- Semen / cytology
- Sperm Count
- Sperm Motility
- Spermatogenesis
- Spermatozoa / abnormalities
- Spermatozoa / cytology
Citations
This article has been cited 1 times.- Fayrer-Hosken R, Stanley A, Hill N, Heusner G, Christian M, De La Fuente R, Baumann C, Jones L. Effect of feeding fescue seed containing ergot alkaloid toxins on stallion spermatogenesis and sperm cells. Reprod Domest Anim 2012 Dec;47(6):1017-26.
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