Semen quality and fertility of liquid stored and frozen-thawed semen in crossbred pigs of North-Eastern India

Abstract

Study was conducted to compare the semen quality and fertility of liquid stored semen for three days and frozen-thawed semen in the north-eastern region of India. For liquid semen, the semen ejaculates were extended in Beltsville Thawing Solution (BTS) extender and preserved at 17°C for three days. For cryopreservation, semen was diluted Lactose-egg yolk-glycerol extender and frozen in straw using programmable freezer with freezing rate of 40°C/min from -6 to -140°C. The preserved evaluated for sperm motility, viability, plasma membrane integrity and fertility. The results revealed that the liquid stored semen has maintained the sperm motility and viability up to day 3 without significant reduction. Similarly the plasma membrane integrity did not differ significantly up to day 2, but it was significantly (P less than 0.05) reduced on days 3 in liquid stored semen. After freezing and thawing, the mean sperm motility, viability and plasma membrane integrity were 58.25 ± 2.96%, 64.75 ± 2.47% and 47.06 ± 2.02%, respectively. These parameters were significantly (PP less than 0.01) lower as compared to the liquid stored semen from day 0 to day 3. After insemination with liquid semen, the farrowing rate was 77.7%, 80.76%, 73.07% and 69.8%, respectively from day 0, day1, day 2 and day 3. The pregnancy rate, farrowing rate and litter size did not differ significantly among different days of liquid storage. These parameters were significantly (PP less than 0.01) lower in frozen semen as compare to that of liquid stored semen. The study concluded that the liquid semen stored up to three days is more efficient than frozen-thawed semen in terms of preserving sperm quality and fertility.