Abstract
Simple SummarySemen collection in donkey jacks can last up to 90 min due to the long courtship needed for this species’ males to obtain sexual excitation and erection. In several domestic animals, ProstaglandinF2α successfully stimulated excitement in the male prior to collection and enhanced semen production. In our study, the prostaglandin analog cloprostenol sodium, administered prior to the semen collection, hastened erection and ejaculation in almost all donkey jacks. No differences have been found in semen production compared to control.Due to the long courtship needed to attain excitation and erection, donkey semen collection can take up to 90 min. ProstaglandinF2α (PGF2α) has been reported to hasten the onset of erection and ejaculation in domesticated mammals, presumably by inducing smooth muscle contractions in the internal genitalia. However, while it has been anecdotally used in donkeys, it has yet to be critically evaluated. This study aimed to compare behavioral and semen parameters in Catalan, Balearic, Amiata, and Miranda jacks treated with the PGF2α analogue cloprostenol sodium immediately prior to exposure to an estrus jenny. Nineteen donkeys were assigned in a crossover design to receive cloprostenol sodium (125 µg, i.m.; n = 53 collections) or saline (1 mL, i.m.; n = 53 collections). There were no differences for erection (52/53 vs. 52/53) or ejaculation (52/53 vs. 48/53) for collection attempts assigned to saline or cloprostenol sodium, respectively. Cloprostenol sodium significantly hastened treatment-to-erection and treatment-to-ejaculation times from 12.0 ± 1.6 to 6.0 ± 1.6 min and from 14.0 ± 1.4 to 9.6 ± 1.4 min, respectively. Significant effects of breed and age were observed in behavioral and parameters, but there were no effects of cloprostenol sodium administration on semen parameters. In conclusion, cloprostenol sodium administration immediately prior to semen collection hastened time to collect semen in donkeys with no detrimental effects on semen quality and can be used by practitioners to circumvent long delays in donkey semen collection.
Highlights
Throughout the centuries, domestication of donkeys has had numerous functions, such as transportation, plowing plantation fields, mining, packing animals, and producing mules [1,2,3]
The objectives of this study were to assess semen and behavioral parameters of four European donkey breeds treated with cloprostenol sodium
An overall 3.7% erection failure was recorded in all 108 collections (Table 1)
Summary
Throughout the centuries, domestication of donkeys has had numerous functions, such as transportation, plowing plantation fields, mining, packing animals, and producing mules (hybrids with horses) [1,2,3]. After the mechanization of agriculture, donkeys lost their value as agricultural commodities in industrialized [4] and developing countries [5]. In developing countries, donkeys still playing a paramount role as a valuable agricultural commodity [5]. Donkeys present a particular challenge during intensive breeding management situations, as semen collection cannot, at times, be consistently carried out. As most mares are not receptive to donkeys [10], semen is typically collected, extended, and mares are artificially inseminated [6,9]. Under intensive regimen of semen collection for cryopreservation or immediate artificial insemination, procurement of semen in a consistent and reasonable timely fashion is highly desirable and challenging in donkeys [8]. Collecting semen from donkey jacks is often a time consuming and frustrating practice. In a study of natural mating, the time between the introduction of the jack in the ‘jennies’
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