Abstract
The study attempted to clarify the role of total antioxidant capacity of seminal plasma (SP-TAC) on boar sperm survival and fertility after artificial insemination (AI). SP-TAC differed (P < 0.001) among boars (n° = 15) and, to a lesser degree, among ejaculates within male (4 ejaculates/boar). SP-TAC also differed (P < 0.001) among ejaculate fractions (43 ejaculates and 3 fractions per ejaculate), of which the sperm-peak portion of the sperm rich ejaculate fraction (SRF) had the highest SP-TAC. SP-TAC was not correlated with sperm quality (motility and viability) or functionality (intracellular ROS generation and lipid peroxidation) of liquid AI-semen samples stored at 17 °C for 72 h (90 AI-samples), but the decline in sperm quality was larger (P < 0.05) in ejaculates with low, compared with high SP-TAC (hierarchically grouped). The SP-TAC differences among ejaculate portions agree with sperm cryosurvival rates (14 ejaculates from 7 boars), showing sperm from sperm-peak portion better (P < 0.01) post-thaw quality and functionality than those from the entire ejaculate (mainly post-SRF). Boars (n° = 18) with high SP-TAC (hierarchically grouped) had higher (P < 0.05) fertility outcomes (5,546 AI-sows) than those with low SP-TAC. Measurement of SP-TAC ought to be a discriminative tool to prognosis fertility in breeding boars.
Highlights
Artificial insemination (AI) is a highly efficient breeding technology in the pig industry
The experiment designed to evaluate an eventual relation between seminal plasma (SP)-total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and sperm quality and functionality in liquid semen extended samples was performed using designed commercial artificial insemination (AI)-doses stored at 15–17 °C for 72 h
The lack of correlation between SP-TAC and sperm quality and functionality found in the 90 AI-semen samples evaluated was noticeable, despite the extent of range in SP-TAC values
Summary
Artificial insemination (AI) is a highly efficient breeding technology in the pig industry. Ejaculates of high sperm quality standard are used for production of AI-semen doses[1] Despite these rigorous selection criteria, differences among AI-boars are still noteworthy regarding in vivo fertility and the ability of their spermatozoa to tolerate preservation[2,3]. That quantitative differences in SP-TAC among boar ejaculates would explain differences on sperm capacity to sustain preservation procedures and display best in vivo fertilizing ability. Against this background, the purpose of this study was to evaluate whether there are differences in SP-TAC among breeding boars and whether such differences were related to sperm performance after handling, including cryopreservation, and fertility post-AI. In order to fulfil this goal, 347 semen samples from 177 boars and fertility records of 5,546 AI-sows were considered
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