Temperature of the artificial vagina and its effect on seminal quality and behavioral characteristics of stallions.
Stallion semen was collected, using artificial vaginas at 44 to 46, 48 to 50, and 52 to 54 C, to study the effects of temperature on seminal quality and sexual behavior. The temperature of the artificial vagina had no significant effect on motility, gel volume, gel-free seminal volume, total seminal volume, pH, number of mounts per ejaculate, total time to ejaculation, or seminal temperature. Spermatozoa were collected, then exposed to water-bath temperatures of 38, 45, 49, or 53 C for 1 minute. Mean motility was similar after exposure to temperatures of 38 or 45 C, but exposure to temperatures of 49 or 53 C resulted in a significant decrease (P < 0.05) in spermatozoal motility with each increase in temperature. Thus, it was concluded that spermatozoa exposed to temperatures greater than 45 C may be irreversibly damaged.
D000818:Animals; D001187:Artificial Organs / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D006736:Horses; D008297:Male; D012661:Semen / Q000502:physiology*; D012662:Semen Preservation / Q000662:veterinary*; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013696:Temperature; D014621:Vagina