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Are There Differences between Methods Used for the Objective Estimation of Boar Sperm Concentration and Motility?
Francisco Sevilla1,2, Carles Soler3, Ignacio Araya-Zúñiga1
1Costa Rica Institute of Technology, School of Agronomy, San Carlos Campus, Alajuela 223-21002, Costa Rica.
Animals : an Open Access Journal From MDPI
|May 27, 2023
Summary
Accurate boar semen evaluation is crucial for artificial insemination success. This study found significant differences in sperm concentration and motility estimates among various assessment methods, with iSperm® showing higher reliability for concentration.
Area of Science:
- Animal Science
- Reproductive Biology
- Veterinary Medicine
Background:
- Effective artificial insemination in swine relies on precise semen evaluation.
- Sperm concentration and motility are key metrics for optimizing seminal dose yield.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the accuracy of different methods for estimating boar sperm concentration and motility.
- To identify reliable tools for boar semen assessment in the swine industry.
Main Methods:
- Sperm concentration was assessed using iSperm®, ISAS® v1, Open CASA v2, and Accuread® photometer.
- Sperm motility was analyzed with iSperm®, ISAS® v1, and Open CASA v2.
- Bayesian analysis and ANOVAs were employed to compare method accuracy.
Main Results:
- Significant differences were observed between the four sperm concentration assessment methods (PR 0.86-1.00).
- iSperm® yielded higher concentration values (HPD95% = 167.0–224.2 M/mL) compared to Open CASA v2 (HPD95% = 99.3–155.9 M/mL).
- Relevant differences were also found among the three motility estimation methods.
Conclusions:
- Methodological variations significantly impact boar sperm concentration and motility estimates.
- iSperm® demonstrated superior reliability for boar sperm concentration measurement within the tested range.
- Further research is necessary to fully characterize these method-specific differences in semen evaluation.
