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Semen Extenders (semen + extender)
Selected AbstractsSingle layer centrifugation of stallion spermatozoa consistently selects the most robust spermatozoa from the rest of the ejaculate in a large sample sizeEQUINE VETERINARY JOURNAL, Issue 7 2010J. M. MORRELL Summary Reasons for performing study: An improvement in sperm quality after single layer centrifugation (SLC) has been seen in previous studies using small sample sizes (for example, n = 10 stallions). There is a need to investigate whether this improvement is repeatable over several breeding seasons with a larger number of stallions (n , 30 stallions). Objective: To make a retrospective analysis of the results of SLC performed on more than 250 sperm samples (176 ejaculates) from 31 stallions in 3 consecutive breeding seasons. Methods: Sperm quality (motility, proportion of morphologically normal spermatozoa and the proportion of spermatozoa with undamaged chromatin) was assessed before and after SLC. Results: All parameters of sperm quality examined were significantly better in sperm samples after SLC than in their unselected counterparts (P<0.001 for each parameter). The yield of spermatozoa obtained after SLC was influenced by the type of extender used and also by the concentration of spermatozoa in the original ejaculate, with fewer spermatozoa being recovered when the loading dose contained a high concentration of spermatozoa. The optimal concentration was approximately 100 × 106/ml. Sperm concentration in the samples loaded on to the colloid influenced the sperm yield while the type of semen extender affected sperm quality and survival. Furthermore, the scaled-up SLC method was found to be suitable for use with a range of ejaculates, with similar sperm kinematics being observed for standard and scaled-up preparations. Conclusions: SLC consistently improved the quality of stallion sperm samples from a large number of ejaculates. The method could be scaled-up, allowing larger volumes of ejaculate to be processed easily from a wide range of stallions. [source] Litter Characteristics of Gilts Artificially Inseminated with Transforming Growth Factor-,AMERICAN JOURNAL OF REPRODUCTIVE IMMUNOLOGY, Issue 3 2006Michelle Rhodes Problem, Semen is a rich source of transforming growth factor- , (TGF- ,) and it has been proposed that this molecule promotes embryonic survival by modifying immune responses to promote tolerance toward paternal antigens and by inducing release of cytokines that promote embryonic development. The role of TGF- , was tested using pigs by evaluating whether its addition to washed sperm improves conceptus survival and fetal growth. Methods of study, At estrus, gilts were artificially inseminated twice at 12-hr intervals with 100 mL of either washed semen resuspended in a commercial semen extender supplemented with 2 mg/mL of gelatin or washed semen in the same extender containing 65 ng/mL of TGF- ,1. Three boars were used as semen donors. At day 80 (±4 days) of gestation, gilts were sacrificed and reproductive tracts harvested. Results, Treatment had no effect (P > 0.10) on total or live fetuses per litter, implantation rate, fetal survival or percentage of corpora lutea resulting in live fetuses at day 80. Insemination with TGF- ,1 also did not affect total or average fetal weight or total placental weight. There was a tendency (P = 0.09) for average placental weight of live fetuses to be lower for pregnancies established in gilts treated with TGF- ,1. Also, placental efficiency (mass of fetus/mass of placenta) was greater (P < 0.05) for pregnancies established in gilts treated with TGF- ,1. The high fertility in control gilts (80% implantation rate and 11.5 live fetuses per litter) is indicative that soluble seminal factors are not necessary for the establishment of pregnancy. Conclusions, Within the ranges tested, concentration of TGF- , in the fluid phase of the inseminate is not an important determinant of conceptus survival or fetal and placental growth to day 80 of gestation in the pig. [source] The current status of antibiotic use in equine reproductionEQUINE VETERINARY EDUCATION, Issue 3 2009M. M. LeBlanc Summary Antibiotics are infused into the uterine lumen, added to semen extenders and given systemically for infections of the reproductive tract of the mare and stallion. Evidence-based guidelines for determining treatment length and route of administration are limited and use is frequently based on convenience or tradition. Current recommended antibiotic use for the treatment of bacterial and fungal endometritis, placentitis and metritis in the mare and genital infections of the stallion are presented. Antibiotic classes used for reproductive problems are also reviewed. [source] Effect of N-acetyl-L-cysteine Supplementation in Semen Extenders on Semen Quality and Reactive Oxygen Species of Chilled Canine SpermatozoaREPRODUCTION IN DOMESTIC ANIMALS, Issue 2 2010AJ Michael Contents The objective of this study was to evaluate the quality of chilled dog semen processed with extenders containing various concentrations of N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC). Ejaculates from five dogs were collected, pooled and evaluated for concentration, motility, rapid steady forward movement (RSF-movement), viability, acrosomal integrity and by the hypo-osmotic swelling test (HOST). In addition, superoxide anion (O2 -,) production, hydroxyl radicals (OH,) and total reactive oxygen species (tROS) were determined. The pool was divided into five aliquots, which were diluted to a final concentration of 66.66 × 106 spermatozoa/ml with Tris-glucose-egg yolk extender containing one of the following concentrations of NAC (0, 0.5, 1, 2.5 or 5 mm). The semen aliquots were chilled and preserved at 4°C. Semen quality was evaluated after rewarming at 72 h. Sperm motility was significantly higher with the 0.5 mm concentration compared with the control group (p = 0.001). Rapid steady forward movement was higher with the 0.5 and 1 mm concentrations compared with the control and 5 mm group (p < 0.001). Viability and HOST percentages were not significantly altered. Compared with the control, the 5 mm concentration showed significantly reduced percentages of spermatozoa with normal acrosomes (p = 0.049). None of the ROS values at 72 h were significantly affected by the presence of NAC in semen extenders, although all NAC concentrations showed lower O2 -, and OH, values compared with the control. Only the concentrations of 1 and 5 mm inhibited the significant increase of tROS values after 72 h, compared with the fresh semen value. In conclusion, NAC supplementation of semen extenders is beneficial to semen motility of canine spermatozoa during chilling with the 0.5 mm concentration being the most effective, although no significant ROS inhibition was observed at 72 h. [source] Testing Usability of Butylated Hydroxytoluene in Conservation of Goat SemenREPRODUCTION IN DOMESTIC ANIMALS, Issue 5 2008TAA Khalifa Contents The objective of this study was to investigate whether butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) could be used as a suitable supporter or alternative of egg yolk during preservation of goat spermatozoa. Three in vitro experiments and a fertility test were conducted to evaluate the effect of BHT on viability of chilled-stored semen as well as motility and kidding rate of frozen-thawed spermatozoa. In the first two experiments, ejaculates (n = 30/experiment) were collected from 10 bucks, split, diluted with egg yolk-based and egg yolk-free extenders supplemented with or without 0.3, 0.6, 2, 5 and 8 mm BHT and stored at 5°C for 168 h. In the third experiment, 30 ejaculates were collected from the above-mentioned bucks, split and diluted with egg yolk-free extenders supplemented with or without 0.3, 0.6 and 0.9 mm BHT and egg yolk-based extenders supplemented with or without 5 mm BHT. Diluted semen was cooled to 5°C over a period of 4 h, frozen and thawed in the form of 0.3-ml pellets. In the fertility test, 75 ejaculates were collected from two proven fertile bucks, split, diluted with egg yolk-free extenders containing 0.6 mm BHT and egg yolk-based extenders supplemented with or without 5 mm BHT, frozen and thawed as described above. An insemination volume of 0.6 ml containing 120,140 × 106 progressively motile spermatozoa was used for a single cervical insemination of cloprostenol-synchronized does (n = 230). The results showed that addition of 5 mm BHT to egg yolk-deficient (2.5%) extenders significantly improved viability of chilled-stored semen together with motility (48.5%) and fertility (62.5%) of frozen-thawed spermatozoa. Replacement of egg yolk in semen extenders by 0.6 mm BHT could sustain not only viability of chilled-stored semen but also post-thaw motility (47.5%) and fertility (53.75%) of frozen-thawed spermatozoa. In conclusion, supplementation of semen diluents with BHT can ameliorate preservability of goat sperm. [source] Update on Semen Technologies for Animal Breeding,REPRODUCTION IN DOMESTIC ANIMALS, Issue 1 2006JM Morrell Contents Despite the scale of the livestock breeding industry, where many millions of insemination doses are prepared each year, sperm preparation techniques are used infrequently in animal assisted reproduction compared with its human counterpart. However, some of the techniques used for human sperm preparation, for example, density gradient centrifugation, improve the quality of sperm preparations which is, in turn, reflected by an increased conception rate. The preparation technique separates motile spermatozoa with normal morphology and intact DNA from the total sperm population, leaving behind immature or senescent spermatozoa, morphologically abnormal ones and those with damaged DNA. Furthermore, the motile spermatozoa are removed from the seminal plasma which carries cells, cellular debris and reactive oxygen species, as well as pathogens. Gradient-prepared spermatozoa survive longer, either in liquid storage or when cryopreserved, and are free of bacteria and viral infectivity if prepared carefully. Preparation techniques such as density gradient centrifugation, or the simplified single layer centrifugation technique, have considerable potential for aiding sperm preparation from poor quality semen samples, such as may be obtained from unselected semen donors in captive breeding programmes, or from performance horses. Moreover, the removal of pathogens has important implications, both for disease control and for avoiding the use of antibiotics in semen extenders, which can be detrimental to sperm survival. [source] Comparative Study on Five Different Commercial Extenders for Boar SemenREPRODUCTION IN DOMESTIC ANIMALS, Issue 1 2004P Vyt Contents Increasing interest in a longer preservation of diluted boar sperm raises questions in the field concerning the choice of the extender. The aim of this study was to evaluate the longevity of boar sperm extended in currently used commercial semen extenders. Three long-term extenders and two short-term extenders were compared for different semen quality parameters that can be assessed under routine laboratory conditions. Sperm morphology, motility, pH and bacteriological contamination were investigated during a 7-day period. The number of dead spermatozoa did not differ significantly among the extenders (p > 0.05). Sperm motility was not only related with storage period but most of all with pH, especially in long-term extenders. Differences between the different extenders were prominent (p < 0.05); the sperm preserved in only one long-term extender showed good motility during the whole test period. In all cases, the pH of the extended semen increased by 0.3,0.5 in the first days of storage and was significantly correlated with a decrease in motility. Bacteriological quality had no significant influence on motility or pH of the semen. In conclusion, we can state that in both short-term extenders and in only one long-term extender, sperm longevity, as evaluated by the parameters used in this study, was sufficient during the preservation period. To preserve the quality of diluted boar semen during long-term storage, the choice of the long-term extender is important. In addition, the monitoring of the pH of extended boar semen in our study emphasizes the importance of the buffering capacity of semen extenders. [source] Freezing equine semen: the effect of combinations of semen extenders and glycerol on post-thaw motilityAUSTRALIAN VETERINARY JOURNAL, Issue 7 2009J Scherzer Objective We evaluated combinations of two commercial semen extenders and three concentrations of glycerol to determine the combination that yielded the highest post-thaw sperm motility. Design A randomised 2 × 3 block design was used. Procedure Semen was collected from four stallions (6 collections per stallion). The sample was diluted with either a dried skim-milk glucose extender (EZ Mixin Original Formula) or a chemically defined, milk-free diluent (INRA 96), and each was used in combination with 2%, 3% or 4% glycerol in standard commercial freezing medium. Sperm motility was assessed by microscopy in fresh and post-thaw semen. Results There was a significant difference between the two extenders in the motility of spermatozoa after cryopreservation (48.9% for INRA 96; 38.6% for EZ Mixin OF; P < 0.0001). Glycerol at 4% in freezing medium yielded the highest post-thaw motility, significantly better than 2% (P < 0.05). Three of four stallions had significantly higher post-thaw motility using INRA 96 relative to EZ Mixin OF (P < 0.01), and two of four stallions had significantly higher post-thaw motility using 4% glycerol (P < 0.05). The combination of INRA 96 and 4% glycerol in freezing medium gave the highest average post-thaw motility of 51.5%. Conclusion In this study, INRA 96 combined with 4% glycerol yielded an average recovery of progressively motile sperm consistently above the 35% target. [source] | ||||||||||