Cryosurvival of Marwari stallion sperm in different extenders

Abstract

Extenders (3) were compared for frozen-thawed semen quality of Marwari horses in the present study. Ejaculates (36) including 6 ejaculates from each of 6 stallions were collected using artificial vagina (AV) method. The ejaculates were cryopreserved either with glucose-EDTA-lactose, HF-20 or egg yolk-skim milk extender using custom freezing technique. Sperm characteristics, viz. motility, viability, acrosome intactness and plasma membrane integrity were studied in frozen-thawed semen besides record of fresh semen quality as a prerequisite. Present study indicated a non-significant difference in frozen-thawed semen parameters with glucose-EDTA-lactose and HF-20 extenders, however, both the extenders resulted in a higher percentage of post-thaw motility (PTM), viability, intact acrosome and plasma membrane integrity of sperm than the egg yolk-skim milk extender. It was concluded that glucose-EDTA-lactose and HF-20 are better semen extenders as compared to egg yolk-skim milk and they can be used effectively for semen cryopreservation in horses.