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Abstract

For artificial insemination (AI) in pigs, preservation of liquid boar semen at 16-20 degrees C is still common practice as sperm cryopreservation remains suboptimal in this species. To meet the different needs of the swine industry, several extenders have been developed to preserve semen in liquid form for short- and long-term storage. In the present study, three different commercial extenders devised for short-term (BTS+) or long-term preservation (MR-A and X-Cell), were used to test whether storage of semen from four mature, fertile boars at 17 degrees C for 96 h would affect sperm characteristics relevant for fertility, such as motility, membrane integrity and chromatin stability. Computer-assisted sperm analysis, and stainings with the acylated membrane dye SYBR-14/propidium iodide, and acridine orange in connection with flow cytometry were used to evaluate these variables. Percentages of total motile spermatozoa decreased slightly, but significantly, after 72-96 h. While membrane integrity values varied during the period of study, no significant changes in either membrane integrity or chromatin stability were, however, registered. This suggests a customary 96-day storage at 17 degrees C in these extenders was too short an interval to cause losses of integrity in nuclear DNA in the boar population studied.

Keywords

boar; chromatin stability; liquid semen; sperm viability; storage

Published in

International Journal of Andrology
2006, volume: 29, number: 5, pages: 543-552

SLU Authors

UKÄ Subject classification

Veterinary Science
Animal and Dairy Science

Publication identifier

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2605.2006.00694.x

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/10405