title: Effect of preputial washing on bacterial load and preservability of semen in Murrah buffalo bulls.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the effect of preputial washing on bacterial load, preservability and semen quality in Murrah buffalo bulls.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 36 collections of three Murrah buffalo bulls maintained at Artificial Breeding Research Centre, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, were collected at weekly intervals from each bull without preputial washing and latter ejaculates from same bull with preputial washing by infusing normal saline (0.85%), KMnO4 (0.02%) and savlon (2.0%) to first, second and third bull, respectively. The microbial load and semen quality were evaluated during different hours of storage at refrigerated temperature (0, 24 and 48 h) and after thrawing of cryopreserved (at -196°C) semen.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results of preservation of semen at refrigerated temperature showed that bacterial load was markedly lower in ejaculates of bulls subjected to preputial washing. Semen preserved at refrigerator temperature and cryopreserved, the effect of washing solution was significant for individual motility (IM), non-eosiniphilic count, hypo-osmotic swelling reactivity (HOST), total plate count (TPC) and acrosome integrity. KMnO4 was found to be the best in lowering bacterial load, sperm abnormalities and in improving semen quality such as motility, non-eosinophilic count, HOST and acrosome integrity even up to 48 h of preservation and cryopreserved semen. Effect of duration of preservation and stage of cryopreservation was also significant for IM, non-eosiniphilic count, HOST, sperm abnormalities and acrosome integrity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overall the results suggested that preputial washing with KMnO4 solution improved the semen quality and reduced microbial load of Murrah buffalo bull's semen preserved at refrigerated temperature and cryopreservation.
authors.affiliation: Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Bundi-323001, Rajasthan, India.
authors.forename: G S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Meena
authors.affiliation: Artificial Breeding Research Centre, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal - 132 001, Haryana, India.
authors.forename: V S
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Raina
authors.affiliation: Artificial Breeding Research Centre, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal - 132 001, Haryana, India.
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.affiliation: Artificial Breeding Research Centre, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal - 132 001, Haryana, India.
authors.forename: T K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Mohanty
authors.affiliation: Artificial Breeding Research Centre, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal - 132 001, Haryana, India.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bhakat
authors.affiliation: Artificial Breeding Research Centre, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal - 132 001, Haryana, India.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abdullah
authors.affiliation: Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture & Forestry, Nauni, Solan-173230, Himachal Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bishist
keywords: Murrah buffalo bull; bacterial load; preputial washing; preservability; semen quality