Effect of washing on the post-thaw quality of cryopreserved ram epididymal spermatozoa.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of washing on the post-thaw quality of ram cauda epididymal spermatozoa (P1: Unwashed, P2: Washed).


METHODS
Fresh testicles of adult healthy slaughtered rams were collected and transported to the laboratory in an ice chest, where they were weighed, and cauda epididymides were separated. These cauda epididymides were used for recovery of spermatozoa in tris-citric acid fructose buffer by incision method. Spermatozoa samples showing ≥70% progressive motility were pooled and processed further. The mean values (±standard error) of various parameters such as the percentage of sperm motility, live sperm, intact acrosome, and hypo-osmotic swelling test (HOST) reacted spermatozoa were recorded.


RESULTS
In this experiment, the percent sperm motility, live spermatozoa, and intact acrosome both at pre-freeze and post-thaw were higher (p>0.05) in P1 than P2. However, the post-thaw percent HOST reacted spermatozoa was slightly higher (p>0.05) for P2 than P1.


CONCLUSIONS
Washing of cauda epididymal spermatozoa has no significant adverse effect on the quality during cryopreservation. Therefore, this processing method can be applied wherever necessary before the extension of the recovered spermatozoa sample in different ram extenders.
Division of Animal Reproduction, Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology of Kashmir, Shuhama, Alusteng, Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir, India.
Touqeer
T
Ahmed
Division of Animal Reproduction, Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology of Kashmir, Shuhama, Alusteng, Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir, India.
Rafiqul
R
Islam
Division of Animal Reproduction, Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology of Kashmir, Shuhama, Alusteng, Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir, India.
Farooz Ahmad
FA
Lone
Division of Animal Reproduction, Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology of Kashmir, Shuhama, Alusteng, Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir, India.
Asloob Ahmad
AA
Malik
cauda epididymis; centrifugation; processing; ram; spermatozoa; washing