Sperm abnormalities in silver fox (Vulpes vulpes) semen selected for artificial insemination

Sperm morphology was examined in fresh ejaculates accepted for insemination. The material included 161 ejaculates of 36 male silver foxes. Samples were fixed, stained with eosin/nigrosin and evaluated microscopically. The abnormal spermatozoa were categorized by the location of the defect. The mean (+/- SD) percentage of morphologically normal spermatozoa was 87.55 +/- 10.45. The incidence of sperm defects was low and variation high in all defect classes. Defects of tails of spermatozoa accounted for > 50% of the abnormalities found. Morphological quality did not correlate with the volume of the sperm-rich fraction, mass activity, progressive motility, or total sperm count in ejaculates of acceptable sperm quality. The incidence and effects of morphological defects in low-quality semen remain to be studied.