QUALITY AND FERTILITY RATE OF FROZEN BUFFALO SEMEN AS AFFECTED BY ADDITION OF EXTRACT OF MORINGA LEAVES AND VARIOUS THAWING RATES

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Animal Production Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Giza, Egypt.

2 Animal Production Research Institute, Agriculture Research Center, Dokki, Giza, Egypt.

Abstract

Five sexually mature Egyptian buffalo bulls were used as semen donors for 15 weeks in this investigation to evaluate the impact of adding various concentrations of methanolic extract of moringa leaves (MEML) to the freezing skim camel milk (SCM) extender and thawing regimes (TR) on post-thaw quality, freezability, metabolic activity and fertility rate of buffalo spermatozoa. The selected ejaculates with ≥ 95% sperm normality and ≥ 90% initial sperm motility were pooled and extended in SCM extender and separated into 4 equal portions including control without any administration of MEML, and three concentrations of MEML (3,9 and 18%, respectively). Extended semen without or with three concentrations of MEML were packaged in straws (0.25 mI), equilibrated at 5°C for 6 hours and freezed in liquid nitrogen container for storage at -196°C for 60 days. Thereafter, the cryopreserved straws were thawed at 65°C for 10 seconds, 50°C for 20 seconds and 35°C for 30 seconds in water bath for estimation post-thaw quality, freezability, metabolic activity and fertility of buffalo spermatozoa. The results showed that technical parameters of buffalo spermatozoa, levels of total antioxidants, lactic dehydrogenase enzyme and malondialdehyde in post-thaw seminal plasma of frozen-semen of buffalo bulls were better (P<0.05) with all levels of MEML as compared to that of control (free from MEML). The ideal results (P<0.05) were recorded for diluted semen that enriched with 9% MEML. Also, the optimal results (P<0.05) of post-thaw semen characteristics, metabolic activity and fertilizing efficiency of buffalo spermatozoa were assessed when thawing was done for cryopreserved straws at 65°C for 10 seconds. Conclusively, it is recommended to extend and freeze buffalo semen with skim camel milk extender fortified with MEML at a level of 9% for artificial insemination programs to enhance post-thaw semen quality, freezability and metabolic activity of spermatozoa, and subsequent increase conception rate of inseminated buffaloes, particularly when thawing was done for cryopreserved straws at 65°C for 10 seconds.

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