Cryopreservation of buffalo semen

Area of Science:

• Animal Reproduction
• Semen Cryopreservation
• Veterinary Science

Background:

• Effective semen preservation is crucial for artificial insemination programs in cattle.
• Optimizing diluent composition is key to maintaining sperm viability during cryopreservation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the efficacy of five different semen diluents for preserving bull semen quality.
• To identify the optimal diluent formulation for deep freezing bull spermatozoa.

Main Methods:

• Twenty-one split semen samples from five bulls were used.
• Five diluents were tested, including lactose-egg yolk-glycerol, fructose-egg yolk-glycerol, and three lactose-fructose combinations.
• Semen was deep frozen using the straw method and evaluated for post-thaw motility, sperm survival at 37°C, and absolute index of survival.

Main Results:

• Significant differences were observed between the diluents for all tested parameters.
• The diluent containing 11% lactose (56.25 ml), 6% fructose (18.75 ml), egg yolk (20 ml), and glycerol (5 ml) demonstrated superior performance.
• This specific formulation resulted in the highest post-thaw motility and sperm survival rates.

Conclusions:

• Diluent composition significantly impacts bull semen quality after cryopreservation.
• A novel diluent formulation combining specific concentrations of lactose, fructose, egg yolk, and glycerol is highly effective for preserving bull spermatozoa.