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Survival and fertility of antibiotic-treated bovine spermatozoa
Abstract:
Motility of spermatozoa stored at 5 C with up to 1000 units or mug of chloramphenicol, polymyxin, kanamycin, tylosin, ampicillin, lincomycin, spectinomycin, erythromycin, novabiocin, or terramycin per ml of extender was compared to that with penicillin plus dihydrostreptomycin. Novabiocin and terramycin were toxic, but other antibiotic treatments had no effect. However, erythromycin and tylosin, as well as colymycin, depressed motility of frozen thawed spermatozoa. Spermatozoal motility was equivalent, following freezing in ampules or straws. All of the antibiotics which were non-toxic when added singly to frozen semen were also not harmful to frozen spermatozoa when as much as 2000 units or mug were added per ml of extender containing penicillin and dihydrostreptomycin. The addition of 1000 units or mug of ampicillin, chloramphenicol, kanamycin, lincomycin, polymyxin, or spectinomycin per ml of extender containing 750 units penicillin and 750 mug dihydrostreptomycin per ml did not influence the fertility of frozen spermatozoa in a field test involving 19,663 first inseminations.
Insights
Most antibiotics do not harm sperm motility during storage or after freezing. However, erythromycin, tylosin, and colymycin negatively impacted frozen-thawed sperm motility.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Medicine
- Reproductive Biology
- Sperm Cryopreservation
Background:
- Antibiotics are commonly added to semen extenders to control bacterial contamination.
- The potential effects of various antibiotics on sperm motility and fertility are crucial for artificial insemination success.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of different antibiotics on the motility of stored and frozen-thawed spermatozoa.
- To determine the non-toxic and non-detrimental antibiotic concentrations for semen preservation.
Main Methods:
- Spermatozoal motility was assessed in semen stored at 5°C with various antibiotics.
- Motility of frozen-thawed spermatozoa was evaluated after treatment with different antibiotic concentrations.
- A field fertility trial was conducted using frozen semen with selected antibiotic combinations.
Main Results:
- Novabiocin and terramycin were toxic to spermatozoa.
- Erythromycin, tylosin, and colymycin depressed motility in frozen-thawed spermatozoa.
- Ampicillin, chloramphenicol, kanamycin, lincomycin, polymyxin, and spectinomycin did not affect motility or fertility at tested concentrations.
Conclusions:
- Several antibiotics can be safely used in semen extenders without compromising sperm motility or fertility.
- Specific antibiotics like erythromycin, tylosin, and colymycin should be avoided for cryopreservation due to motility depression.