Abstract

Bacteria (environmental contaminants and occasionally potential pathogens) are found in most stallion ejaculates and may negatively affect sperm quality during storage. Since the use of antibiotics can lead to the development of resistance, an alternative means of microbial control is desirable. The removal of bacteria from stallion semen using Single Layer Centrifugation through Androcoll-E was investigated. Known doses of cultured bacteria were added to freshly collected ejaculates (15 mL aliquots) before processing by Single Layer Centrifugation. The resulting sperm pellets and controls (not processed by Single Layer Centrifugation) were cultured and the bacteria identified. In experiment 1, doses of E. coli from 2 x 10(2) to 2 x 10(7) colony forming units were added to aliquots of semen. In experiment 2, Taylorella equigenitalis or a mix of E. coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus (approximately 7 x 10(6), 5 x 10(6), and 6 x 10(6) cfu, respectively) were added to 15 mL aliquots of semen. In experiment 1, more than 90% of the bacteria were removed where loading doses were > x 10(4) cfu/mL. In experiment 2, varying proportions of different bacteria were removed, ranging from 68% for naturally occurring Corynebacterium spp. to >97% for added cultured E. coli. Thus, Single Layer Centrifugation can separate spermatozoa from many, but not all bacteria in stallion ejaculates and could be a useful alternative to adding antibiotics to semen extenders to control bacterial contamination. However, further research is needed to determine the effect of small numbers of bacteria on sperm quality. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Keywords

SLC; Androcoll-E; Pathogens; Contaminating bacteria

Published in

Animal Reproduction Science
2014, Volume: 145, number: 1-2, pages: 47-53

SLU Authors

• Morrell, Jane

  • Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Lundeheim, Nils

  • Department of Animal Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

Associated SLU-program

AMR: Bacteria


UKÄ Subject classification

Other Agricultural Sciences not elsewhere specified


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anireprosci.2014.01.005

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/51985