Abstract
BackgroundOne of the challenges faced by equine breeders is ensuring delivery of good quality semen doses for artificial insemination when the mare is due to ovulate. Single Layer Centrifugation (SLC) has been shown to select morphologically normal spermatozoa with intact chromatin and good progressive motility from the rest of the ejaculate, and to prolong the life of these selected spermatozoa in vitro. The objective of the present study was a proof of concept, to determine whether fertilizing ability was retained in SLC-selected spermatozoa during prolonged storage.FindingsSixteen mares were inseminated with SLC-selected sperm doses that had been cooled and stored at 6°C for 48 h, 72 h or 96 h. Embryos were identified in 11 mares by ultrasound examination 16–18 days after presumed ovulation.ConclusionSLC-selected stallion spermatozoa stored for up to 96 h are capable of fertilization.
Highlights
One of the challenges faced by equine breeders is ensuring delivery of good quality semen doses for artificial insemination when the mare is due to ovulate
Single Layer Centrifugation (SLC)-selected stallion spermatozoa stored for up to 96 h are capable of fertilization
Since sperm morphology and chromatin integrity are improved in the SLC-selected sperm samples [6], it would be expected that these selected spermatozoa might retain their fertilizing ability over the same period
Summary
One of the challenges faced by equine breeders is ensuring delivery of good quality semen doses for artificial insemination when the mare is due to ovulate. Single Layer Centrifugation (SLC) has been shown to select morphologically normal spermatozoa with intact chromatin and good progressive motility from the rest of the ejaculate, and to prolong the life of these selected spermatozoa in vitro. Single Layer Centrifugation (SLC) is a colloid centrifugation technique designed to select spermatozoa with good motility, membrane integrity, normal morphology and intact chromatin from the rest of the ejaculate [2]. Since sperm morphology and chromatin integrity are improved in the SLC-selected sperm samples [6], it would be expected that these selected spermatozoa might retain their fertilizing ability over the same period
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