Aim of the present study was to investigate the cryopreservation of pheasant semen by adopting the freezing/thawing protocol by Tselutin et al. (1999) with some modifications. Semen was collected by abdominal massage twice a week. Evaluations were performed on pooled semen from fifteen males (Phasianus colchicus mongolicus). Two semen dilutions (DIL) with Lake diluent (1:2 and 1:3, v/v; Lake, 1968) and two equilibration times (ET) at 5°C (10min and 30min) before dimethylacetamide (DMA) addition, were tested. Assessment of sperm mobility was performed by Accudenz methodology according to Froman’s procedure (1997) and viability by eosin/nigrosin staining. As expected, viability and mobility were strongly affected by the freezing/thawing procedure. ET did not affect mobility while influenced live sperm percentage during the DMA equilibration (DMA-Eq). Semen/diluent ratio significantly (p<0.001) modified the mobility parameter and the highest progressive movements of spermatozoa were obtained with the most diluted semen in each critical step of the cryopreservation procedure. In conclusion, for pheasant semen cryopreservation, the 1:3 dilution ratio can be considered appropriate and the cooling time up to 30 minutes not crucial for the spermatozoa mobility and viability. Nevertheless, the deleterious effect of freezing/thawing procedure reduced live thawed spermatozoa to 24% and forward motility to 89% of the initial movement capacity.
Cryopreservation of pheasant semen: effect of dilution ratio and cooling time on spermatozoa viability and mobility
MARZONI FECIA DI COSSATO, MARGHERITA;ROMBOLI, ISABELLA
2008-01-01
Abstract
Aim of the present study was to investigate the cryopreservation of pheasant semen by adopting the freezing/thawing protocol by Tselutin et al. (1999) with some modifications. Semen was collected by abdominal massage twice a week. Evaluations were performed on pooled semen from fifteen males (Phasianus colchicus mongolicus). Two semen dilutions (DIL) with Lake diluent (1:2 and 1:3, v/v; Lake, 1968) and two equilibration times (ET) at 5°C (10min and 30min) before dimethylacetamide (DMA) addition, were tested. Assessment of sperm mobility was performed by Accudenz methodology according to Froman’s procedure (1997) and viability by eosin/nigrosin staining. As expected, viability and mobility were strongly affected by the freezing/thawing procedure. ET did not affect mobility while influenced live sperm percentage during the DMA equilibration (DMA-Eq). Semen/diluent ratio significantly (p<0.001) modified the mobility parameter and the highest progressive movements of spermatozoa were obtained with the most diluted semen in each critical step of the cryopreservation procedure. In conclusion, for pheasant semen cryopreservation, the 1:3 dilution ratio can be considered appropriate and the cooling time up to 30 minutes not crucial for the spermatozoa mobility and viability. Nevertheless, the deleterious effect of freezing/thawing procedure reduced live thawed spermatozoa to 24% and forward motility to 89% of the initial movement capacity.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
