Physical and Chemical Properties of Walleye Sperm and Seminal Plasma

Abstract

Abstract Semen was collected from 33 sexually mature walleye, Stizostedion vitreum vitreum (Mitchill), captured in 3 northeastern Colorado reservoirs. Physical and chemical measurements were made on each sample of semen. The physical properties measured and the mean values of each were: total length (of fish), 555.3 mm; weight (of fish), 1,694.6 g; spermatocrit (percentage of packed cells to total volume), 55%; freezing point depression (Δ °) -0.489; dry weight as % of wet weight, 20.8%, and ash weight as % of dry weight, 11.33%. Chemical analyses were run on individual samples of seminal plasma to determine pre- and post-freezing levels of certain constitutents and to measure changes which occur following freezing. The values obtained in mg/100 ml were: Ca, 3.2 to 1.5; Cl, 467.5 to 427.9; Mg, 1.6 to 4.7; P, 5.3 to 51.9; K, 97.0 to 156.8; Na, 383.3 to 241.6; total protein, 2.6 to 5.9; urea N, 2.9 to 8.1; and uric acid, 3.3 to 11.1, respectively for pre- and post-freezing levels. These properties were also...