title: In vitro characterisation of fresh and frozen sex-sorted bull spermatozoa.
abstract: This study sought to compare the in vitro characteristics of fresh and frozen non-sorted (NS) and sex-sorted (SS) bull spermatozoa. Experiment 1: Holstein-Friesian ejaculates (n=10 bulls) were split across four treatments and processed: (1) NS fresh at 3×106spermatozoa, (2) X-SS frozen at 2×106spermatozoa, (3) X-SS fresh at 2×106spermatozoa and (4) X-SS fresh at 1×106spermatozoa. NS frozen controls of 20×106spermatozoa per straw were sourced from previously frozen ejaculates (n=3 bulls). Experiment 2: Aberdeen Angus ejaculates (n=4 bulls) were split across four treatments and processed as: (1) NS fresh 3×106spermatozoa, (2) Y-SS fresh at 1×106spermatozoa, (3) Y-SS fresh at 2×106spermatozoa and (4) X-SS fresh at 2×106spermatozoa. Controls were sourced as per Experiment 1. In vitro assessments for progressive linear motility, acrosomal status and oxidative stress were carried out on Days 1, 2 and 3 after sorting (Day 0=day of sorting. In both experiments SS fresh treatments had higher levels of agglutination in comparison to the NS fresh (P<0.001), NS frozen treatments had the greatest PLM (P<0.05) and NS spermatozoa exhibited higher levels of superoxide anion production compared with SS spermatozoa (P<0.05). Experiment 1 found both fresh and frozen SS treatments had higher levels of viable acrosome-intact spermatozoa compared with the NS frozen treatments (P<0.01).
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Animal Reproduction, Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Limerick, Castletroy, Limerick, Ireland.
authors.forename: Shauna A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Holden
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Animal Reproduction, Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Limerick, Castletroy, Limerick, Ireland.
authors.forename: Craig
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.affiliation: Sexing Technologies, Navasota, 22575 Highway 6 South, TX 77868, USA.
authors.forename: Juan F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Moreno
authors.affiliation: Teagasc Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork, Ireland.
authors.forename: Stephen T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Butler
authors.affiliation: Irish Cattle Breeding Federation, Highfield House, Shinagh, Bandon, Co. Cork, Ireland.
authors.forename: Andrew R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Cromie
authors.affiliation: School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lonergan
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Animal Reproduction, Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Limerick, Castletroy, Limerick, Ireland.
authors.forename: Sean
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fair
mesh_terms: D000177:Acrosome / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*; D002469:Cell Separation / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D015925:Cryopreservation; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D055101:Semen Analysis / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary; D012662:Semen Preservation; D012743:Sex Preselection / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D013073:Sperm Agglutination; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*; D014960:X Chromosome; D014998:Y Chromosome