title: Adjusting the number of spermatozoa in mini-straws by determination of the operative volume of bovine semen.
abstract: The importance of the number of sperm per insemination on fertility has been well demonstrated in cattle. This number is usually calculated from the concentration in the extended semen and a theoretical value for the operative volume of semen delivered during insemination. The objective of this experiment was to investigate the usefulness of the measurement of the delivered volume of semen when estimating sperm numbers from frozen-thawed mini-straws, by comparing the results obtained with an analytical balance to the theoretical volume. The density of semen extended with Biociphos Plus and Triladyl was determined to be 1.033 g/ml using the gamma sphere method. This value was used to convert semen weight into operative volume. The effect of semen temperature at the time of weighing (37 degrees C versus 20 degrees C) was investigated on six semen batches, two technicians measuring the operative volume of 50 straws for each combination of temperature and semen batch (a total of 1200 weighings). The temperature effect was found to be insignificant, which allowed warm semen to be weighed before motility was assessed during routine quality control. The operative volume was then measured in straws routinely produced at 17 bovine Al centers (12-105 semen batches per center, mostly three straws from each batch, a total of 1912 measurements). The observed volumes were normally distributed around 198.7 microl, 98% measuring between 180 and 210 microl. The operative volume was significantly different among centers (from 192 to 205 microl, P < 0.0001) and among batches within centers (P < 0.0001). The S.D. among straws within batches was 3.4 microl. Some centers showed high variability in straw volume whereas others were more consistent. Determination of the operative volume of frozen-thawed mini-straws by weighing the delivered contents is an accurate method for estimation of the number of sperm per dose.
authors.affiliation: UNCEIA, Maisons-Alfort, France. pascal.dumont@unceia.fr
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dumont
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002627:Chemistry, Physical; D007315:Insemination, Artificial / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D011786:Quality Control; D012661:Semen / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D012662:Semen Preservation / Q000379:methods; D013076:Sperm Count; D013696:Temperature