title: Effects of a high semen-collection frequency on the quality of sperm from ejaculates and from six epididymal regions in boars.
abstract: This study examines the effect of semen-collection rhythm on the sperm maturation process in boar epididymis. Three post-pubertal boars were submitted to a high semen-collection frequency (stressed boars) during 4 days, and three males were kept as a control group (control boars). Semen samples coming from six epididymal regions and from the ejaculate of each male were evaluated for sperm concentration, sperm vitality, sperm motility and sperm morphology. In each epididymal region, either fluid resorption or fluid secretion was determined from the variation in sperm concentration. The pattern of fluid resorption-secretion along the epididymal duct differed significantly between the stressed and control boars. A high semen-collection frequency also affected the development of sperm motility and the sperm cytoplasmic droplet displacement along the epididymal duct. The incidence of some sperm abnormalities was also found to be higher in some epididymal regions and ejaculates of stressed boars. From the results of this study, it can be concluded that a high semen-collection frequency brings about an altered resorption and secretion pattern of the epididymal fluid, which results in defective sperm maturation and abnormal development of sperm motility.
authors.affiliation: Biotechnology of Porcine Reproduction, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Girona, Campus Montilivi s/n, 17071 Girona, Spain. anna.pruneda@udg.es
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pruneda
authors.forename: Elisabet
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pinart
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dolors Briz
authors.forename: Sílvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sancho
authors.forename: Núria
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Garcia-Gil
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Badia
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kádár
authors.forename: Judit
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bassols
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bussalleu
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yeste
authors.forename: Sergi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bonet
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004542:Ejaculation; D004822:Epididymis / Q000166:cytology*; D008297:Male; D012661:Semen / Q000502:physiology*; D013076:Sperm Count; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013552:Swine; D020858:Tissue and Organ Harvesting / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*