title: Quality of stallion semen obtained by a new semen collection phantom (Equidame) versus a Missouri artificial vagina.
abstract: A study was performed to test a new semen collection device (Equidame phantom) that fractionates the ejaculate by comparing the quality of semen obtained by the Equidame phantom with that obtained by a Missouri artificial vagina. Semen from 4 Finnhorse stallions was collected 4 times per stallion by both methods. Half of the ejaculate was frozen and the other half extended and loaded into 2 Equitainer transport containers (24- and 48-h samples). Motility parameters were determined by a Hamilton-Thorn motility analyzer after cooled storage for 24 and 48 h and again after freezing/thawing. Raw and chilled semen samples were cultured and the number of bacterial colonies counted after incubations of 24 and 48 h. After a 24-h incubation the number of colony-forming units (CFU) in raw semen was significantly higher (P<0.01) when collected by the Missouri artificial vagina than by the Equidame phantom. After cooled storage, 75% of the semen samples contained no bacteria after an incubation of 24 h, and 69% yielded no growth after 48 h. The sperm-rich fractions (Cup 2) collected by the Equidame phantom had lower mean volumes (22.1 +/- 2.3 mL [+/- SEM] versus 101.6 +/- 9.3 mL) and significantly higher mean sperm concentrations (218.0 +/- 25.8 x 10(6) vs 86.2 +/- 8.1 x 10(6) cells/mL; P<0.05) than the total ejaculates collected by the Missouri device. The total and progressive motility of chilled and frozen-thawed semen did not differ significantly between collection methods. The Equidame phantom yielded semen that was of a lower bacteriological colony counts, but had sperm motility similar to that of semen collected with the traditional method by the Missouri artificial vagina.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science/Animal Physiology, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lindeberg
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Karjalainen
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Koskinen
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Katila
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001187:Artificial Organs; D004542:Ejaculation; D005260:Female; D006736:Horses; D008297:Male; D012661:Semen / Q000502:physiology*; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D013076:Sperm Count; D013081:Sperm Motility; D014621:Vagina