Effects of liner composition, cooling profile and time of glycerolization on survival of bovine spermatozoa.
Bovine spermatozoa from five bulls (158 ejaculates) were collected into one-piece combination liner-collection cones in an artificial vagina. Spermatozoal motility and differential staining were evaluated at each sequential step of semen processing. Linear 30-min and nonlinear 150-min cooling profiles resulted in equivalent postthaw spermatozoan survival rates. Preglycerolation holding times of 60 and 150 min, after 30-min linear cooling, were associated with increased, but nonsignificant, postthaw survival rates for bovine spermatozoa collected in polyethylene liner-collection cones. Highly significant differences (P<0.0001) were found to be associated with the composition of the liner-collection cones used. Motility estimates made at collection and after thawing from liquid nitrogen storage indicated that at least 50% of motile spermatozoa collected in polyethylene liner-collection cones survived; whereas, not more than 30% of the cells survived when they had been collected in rubber liner-collection cones.
Salhab
S A
SA
University of Missouri Columbia, MO 65211 USA.
Merilan
C P
CP