Abstract
When semen is frozen ice forms extracellularly, and water is drawn from the cells (Mazur, 1970). Rapid freezing reduces dehydration and causes intracellular ice to form more quickly (Mazur, 1980). Cells frozen rapidly in liquid nitrogen do not survive, suggesting that partial dehydration is necessary for spermatozoa to survive freezing (Fahy et aL, 1984). Watson (1979) suggested that non-penetrating sugars have protective effects on spermatozoa during freezing. The addition of a non-penetrating solute such as raffinose to semen will dehydrate the cells by its osmotic effect.The object of this study was to investigate the effect of raffinose on cryoinjury of ram spermatozoa.Experiment 1.Raffinose was added to Tris egg-yolk glycerol buffer (Evans and Maxwell (1987) to concentrations of 0mM, 33mM, 66mM, 99mM, 132mM, 165mM and 198mM raffinose and used to extend (2:1) pooled semen from Cambridge rams.Factorial experiments with 3 replications were set up to test the effect of raffinose concentration, glycerol concentration, method of packaging of semen, pellet size and cooling rate of straws on the motility and survival of ram semen before and after freezing/thawing.
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Schedule a callMore From: Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Production (1972)
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