Ram sperm motility after intermittent scrotal insulation evaluated by manual and computer-assisted methods

Area of Science:

• Reproductive biology
• Animal science
• Spermatozoa physiology

Background:

• Semen quality is crucial for animal reproduction.
• Computer-assisted semen analysis (CASA) provides detailed motility data.
• Assessing the sensitivity of CASA parameters versus traditional motility percentages is important for accurate semen evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the sensitivity of CASA motility characteristics against traditional motility percentages in detecting reduced semen quality.
• To evaluate the impact of scrotal insulation and cryopreservation on ram semen quality.

Main Methods:

• Ram scrotal insulation was applied intermittently.
• Semen was collected and analyzed using CASA.
• Semen was subjected to freezing-thawing and liquid storage at different temperatures.
• Motility characteristics and percentages were assessed.

Main Results:

• Scrotal insulation and cryopreservation reduced sperm motility percentages.
• CASA motility characteristics decreased only when motility percentages were already low.
• Cryopreservation further reduced motility in semen from insulated rams, but CASA parameters were only affected at low motility levels.

Conclusions:

• Intermittent scrotal insulation negatively impacts fresh and stored ram semen motility.
• CASA motility characteristics are not more sensitive than motility percentages for detecting reduced semen quality in this context.
• Traditional motility assessments remain valuable for evaluating semen quality under stress conditions.