Sedation or anaesthesia decrease the stress response to electroejaculation and improve the quality of the collected...

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Animal Reproduction
• Anesthesiology

Background:

• Electroejaculation (EE) is a common method for semen collection in bucks.
• EE can induce significant physiological and behavioral stress responses, potentially indicating pain.
• Anesthesia and sedation are used to mitigate these effects, but carry risks and may impact semen quality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the stress and pain responses, and semen quality in goat bucks undergoing EE with no treatment, sedation, or general anesthesia.
• To evaluate the impact of different EE procedures on physiological parameters, behavior, and sperm characteristics.

Main Methods:

• Eight goat bucks were subjected to three EE procedures: untreated, under sedation, and under general anesthesia.
• Physiological (temperature, heart rate, cortisol), behavioral (vocalization, posture), and pain (VAS score) responses were recorded.
• Semen quality parameters, including sperm motility and morphology, were assessed post-collection.

Main Results:

• Untreated bucks exhibited higher vocalization rates, pain scores, and physiological stress markers compared to sedated or anesthetized bucks.
• Both sedation and anesthesia reduced stress responses, with anesthesia leading to longer recovery times.
• Semen quality, specifically sperm motility, functional plasma membrane, and normal morphology, was significantly improved under sedation compared to untreated bucks.

Conclusions:

• General anesthesia and sedation effectively decrease stress and pain associated with EE in bucks.
• Sedation offers a favorable balance, reducing stress while significantly improving ejaculate quality, making it a recommended option for EE.