Boar Semen Quality Research Articles

Detection of inorganic elements in single boar spermatozoa by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

Trace elements play an important role in the spermatogenesis, maturation, and fertilization of sperm. Accurate determination of elemental content of sperm cells, especially at the level of single sperm, is of great significance to evaluate the quality of boar semen, which affects the boar's reproductive health and eventually the pig breeding industry. Here we develop a simple method to determine trace elements in single boar's sperm cells by time resolved inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Effect of dwell time of ICP-MS on the signals of the sperms were investigated and optimized. Signal profiles of single sperm cells and elemental distributions of P, Mg, K, and Zn in normal sperm cells were obtained with dwell time at 0.1 ms. Experimental parameters affecting the adsorption of cisplatin by sperm cells were studied. Interestingly, the incubated Pt in sperm cells shows different signal trends to the endogenous P and Mg under the ultrasonic treatment that separated the sperm's head and tail, indicating elements with variable contents and locations in the sperm cells may be differentiated by the proposed method. The single-cell determination of sperm elements by ICP-MS would be useful for studying sperm signal transduction and relevant physiological topics.

PSI-2 Analysis of Boar Semen Microbiome and Sperm Quality Parameters

Abstract Bacterial contamination of non-frozen extended boar semen has been associated with a decrease in sperm viability and longevity. The objective of this study was to analyze the microbiome of extended boar semen and sperm quality parameters 1) between studs 2) over time and 3) between pooled and single-sire doses. Sixteen pooled (n=4 per stud) and single-sire (n=4 per stud) boar semen doses (80mL) were obtained from two studs (A vs. B). Pooled doses were the composite of boars in single-sire doses. Doses were stored at 16°C and subsampled 16mL daily for five days post-collection. Each day, 5mL were flash frozen and stored at -80°C for bacterial analysis targeting the V4 hypervariable region of the 16S rRNA gene. The remaining 11mL were used to assess sperm progressive motility and agglutination (0: no adhesion to 3: >50% adhesion) by two evaluators with 10 visual estimates per sample. Negative controls of each pooled (n=2 per stud) and single-sire (n=4 per stud) dose remained unopened until day 5. Statistical analyses were conducted using GLM procedure in SAS. Sperm agglutination was greater in stud A than B (1.6 vs. 1.0 ± 0.1, respectively; P< 0.01). Sperm motility tended (P=0.09) to be greater in stud B than A doses (67.4% vs. 61.5% ± 0.02%, respectively), and decreased over time (P< 0.01). Stud B had a greater relative abundance of Proteobacteria (60.0% vs. 47.2% ± 1.5%, respectively; P< 0.01) and lower abundance of Firmicutes (22.5% vs. 31.9% ± 1.4%, respectively; P< 0.01) compared to stud A. Bacterial load did not differ by stud or dose type but increased from day 1 to 3 (P< 0.01). Bacterial load between days 3, 4, and 5 post-collection was not different from the negative control. Results indicate differences in the microbiome between boar studs and its influence on semen over time.

Alginate oligosaccharides increase boar semen quality by affecting gut microbiota and metabolites in blood and sperm.

Alginate oligosaccharides (AOS), natural polymers from brown seaweeds (such as Laminaria japonica, Undaria pinnatifida, and Sargassum fusiforme), have been reported to possess many beneficial advantages for health. In the current study, after 9 weeks of dietary supplementation, AOS 10 mg/kg group (AOS 10) group increased boar sperm motility from 87.8% to 93.5%, p < 0.05. Moreover, AOS10 increased the relative abundances of Bifidobacterium, Coprococcus, Butyricicoccus (1.3–2.3-fold; p < 0.05) to increase the beneficial blood and sperm metabolites (1.2–1.6-fold; p < 0.05), and important sperm proteins such as gelsolin, Zn-alpha2 glycoprotein, Cation Channel Sperm-Associated Protein, outer dense fiber of sperm tails, etc. (1.5–2.2-fold; p < 0.05). AOS had a long-term beneficial advantage on boar semen quality by the increase in semen volume (175 vs. 160 ml/ejaculation, p < 0.05). AOS may be used as dietary additives for improving semen quality.

Live cells are not affected by dead sperm in liquid boar semen: New insights based on a thermo-resistance test.

This study evaluated the effect of different proportions of dead spermatozoa on the quality of liquid boar semen during a thermo-resistance test (TRT). After 3 days of storage (17°C), 54 conventional artificial insemination semen doses (~23 × 106 sperm/ml in ~88 ml of BTS) were split into three 15 ml-treatments (25%, 50%, and 75% dead sperm cells) by mixing two subsamples containing 75% (I) and 0% (II) of live cells. Spermatozoa were evaluated after TRT at 30 (on-test) and 300 min (off-test) incubation at 38°C. At the on-test, treatments of 25%, 50%, and 75% dead sperm cells showed medians for total sperm motility of 77.6%, 50.2%, and 25.6%, respectively. Considering the absolute variation of sperm motility during TRT, doses with 25% dead sperm lost more percentage points (pp) (-9.4pp) compared to doses containing 50% (-8.2pp) and 75% dead sperm (-4.5pp). The lowest loss was observed for doses with 75% dead sperm (p < .01). However, data showed that treatments lost similar proportion of motile cells over the TRT: 25% dead sperm=-11.9%, 50% dead sperm=-16.0%, and 75% dead sperm=-17.5% (p=.31). Regarding the flow cytometry parameters (plasma and acrosomal membrane integrity, mitochondrial activity of cells with intact plasma membrane, high degree of lipid disorder, and apoptotic cells), the absolute variations did not surpass values of -1.8, 3.4, -5.4, and 4.7pp, respectively. Furthermore, the relative variation suggested that dead sperm did not substantially change their values over the TRT. In conclusion, dead sperm cells did not influence the quality of contemporary live cells during the period and in conditions of a TRT.

Effects of dietary L-leucine supplementation on testicular development and semen quality in boars.

Sperm and seminal plasma are rich in leucine, and leucine can promote the protein synthesis. This property makes it an interesting amino acid to increase sperm quality of human and livestock spermatogenesis. The goal of this study was to explore the effects of dietary leucine supplementation on testicular development and semen quality in boars from weaning to 10 months of age. 30 pure-bred, weaned Duroc boars (8.0 ± 1.0 kg) were randomly divided into two groups: control group (CON; fed the basal diet) and leucine group (LEU; fed the basal diet supplemented with 1.2% leucine); then, their body weight and testicular volume were recorded every 4 weeks. Testes were collected for histological and genes expression analysis from 150-day-old boars. Semen was collected and analyzed. Amino acids contents of blood plasma, seminal plasma, sperm, and testes were determined. Dietary supplementation with leucine increased the testicular volume and weight of boars, compared with CON. Sperm viability, sperm count per ejaculation, and average curve speed of sperm in leucine-supplemented boars were increased. Furthermore, leucine supplementation increased the blood plasma and seminal plasma leucine concentrations, and enhanced the gene expressions of branch chain amino acid transaminase, protein kinase B, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), and cyclinb1 in the testes. Interestingly, the expressions of the p-mTOR and mTOR proteins in the testes were also upregulated. Thus, dietary leucine supplementation increased leucine absorption and utilization in the testes, promoted testicular development, and improved semen quality of boars, partly through the mTOR signaling pathway.

The Effect of the Addition of Co-Q10 on the Preservation of Boar Semen at 17°C

Background: With the increasing application of artificial insemination technology in boars, breeding efficiency is largely determined by the quality of semen preservation. With the prolonged storage of semen at room temperature in vitro, excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) damage organelles and plasma membranes and ultimately lead to a decline in semen quality. Methods: In order to improve the preservation of semen at 17°C, this experiment investigated the effect of different concentrations (0, 10, 15, 25, 35 µg/mL) of coenzyme Q10 (Co-Q10) in Modena dilution on the quality of boar semen during storage at 17°C. The sperm motility, mitochondrial activity, total antioxidant (T-AOC), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were assessed at 17°C at different times (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 d). Result: The results showed that the addition of Co-Q10 has a positive effect during the preservation of boar semen at 17°C. On the 5th day, the sperm motility of the 25 µg/mL Co-Q10 group was 73.80% and the mitochondrial activity was 82.94%, which was significantly higher (P less than 0.05) than that of other groups. In terms of antioxidant levels, the MDA content of the 25 µg/ml and 35 µg/ml Co-Q10 groups on the 5th day was significantly lower (P less than 0.05) than that of the other groups. At the same time, the 25 µg/ml group could effectively enhance the activity of antioxidant enzymes and the SOD and T-AOC were 17.33 U/mL and 3.17 U/mL on the 5th day significantly higher than the other groups (P less than 0.05). The results showed that the most appropriate concentration of Co-Q10 when storing boar semen at 17°C was 25 µg/ml.

Nonsynonymous SNPs within C7H15orf39 and NOS2 are associated with boar semen quality

Spermatogenesis is the developmental process that produces spermatozoa. The aim of this study was to investigate the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within C7H15orf39 and NOS2 genes and to determine the correlations between two SNPs and semen quality in Duroc boars (n = 604). The polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphisms (PCR-RFLP) method was used for genotyping the selected two nonsynonymous SNPs. The significant correlation was observed between two SNPs (rs80969873: g.58385473 G > A within C7H15orf39; rs325865291: g.44175445 G > A within NOS2) and semen traits in Duroc boars. This study indicates the SNPs in C7H15orf39 and NOS2 may be the potential molecular marker for improving the semen quality traits in Duroc boars.

Boar Semen Shipping for Artificial Insemination: Current Status and Analysis of Transport Conditions with a Major Focus on Vibration Emissions.

Simple SummaryLiquid preserved boar semen is a perishable product, and many environmental influences can affect sperm quality during transport from the boar station to the sow farm. Previous studies have shown that vibration emissions have a negative effect on spermatozoa, however, there has been no documentation of the vibrations spermatozoa are exposed to during transport. To answer this question, several breeding companies worldwide were interviewed about their delivery process. As it turns out, environmental influences are only rarely recorded, and vibrations are not monitored at all. To record and to evaluate vibrations that occur during transport, we have developed a measurement system and investigated vibration intensities in standardized road trials. We were able to show that both speed and road surface significantly influence the produced vibrations. Furthermore, the occurrence of the vibrations on a reference delivery from a German boar stud was studied. In the future, it is recommended that in order to avoid negative influences during transport, the transport of boar semen should be permanently monitored.In the modern pig reproduction system, artificial insemination (AI) doses are delivered from AI centers to sow farms via logistics vehicles. In this study, six breeding companies in three countries (Brazil, Germany, and the USA) were interviewed about their delivery process. It was found that there is currently no comprehensive monitoring system for the delivery of semen. The entire process “shipping of boar semen” was documented using Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN). Although it is not currently known which vibrations occur at all, it is suspected that vibration emissions affect the quality of boar semen. For this reason, a prototype of a measuring system was developed to calculate a displacement index (Di), representing vibration intensities. Vibrations were analyzed in standardized road trials (n = 120) on several road types (A: smooth asphalt pavement, B: rough asphalt pavement, C: cobblestone, and D: dirt road) with different speeds (30, 60, 90, 120, and 150 km/h). A two-way ANOVA showed significant differences in mean Di, depending on road surface and speed as well as an interaction of both factors (p < 0.001). A field study on a reference delivery from a German AI center to several sow farms indicated that 33% of the observed roads are in good quality and generate only a few vibrations (Di ≤ 1), while 40% are of a moderate quality with interrupted surfaces (Di = 1–1.5). However, 25% of the roads show markedly increased vibrations (Di ≥ 1.5), as a consequence of bad conditions on cobblestones or unpaved roads. Overall, more attention should be paid to factors affecting sperm quality during transport. In the future, an Internet of Things (IoT) based solution could enable complete monitoring of the entire transport process in real time, which could influence the courier’s driving behavior based on road conditions in order to maintain the quality of the transported AI doses.

PSIII-9 Effects of Dietary Carnitine Supplementation on Semen Output and Quality in Boars

Abstract Carnitine is an amino acid derivative with functions in increasing energy production as well as acting as an antioxidant for sperm cells. The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of the inclusion of carnitine in boar diets on sperm output and quality. Sixty-four boars at a commercial boar stud were blocked by age and semen quality and randomly allotted to receive a daily 30 g top-dress of either corn (CON) or corn and 625 mg of carnitine (CARN). Supplementation lasted for 12 weeks from May-July, 2021 during which weekly semen collection was performed. Semen was evaluated at the stud for concentration and motility parameters using computer-assisted semen analysis (CASA). Samples were also shipped to Purdue University for detailed morphology, viability, and CASA performed in samples stored at 17C for 5 d. PROC Mixed (SAS v 9.4) was used to evaluate the data where boar nested within treatment was used in repeated measures with the main effects of treatment and week and semen quality estimates from the week prior to supplementation as covariates in the model. Carnitine supplementation had no effects on total sperm produced (P = 0.35). Percentage of motile sperm cells (P = 0.38), morphologically normal sperm (P=0.42), viable sperm (P = 0.43), or sperm with normal acrosomes (P = 0.61) in the ejaculates was not different among treatments. Sperm kinematics in CARN ejaculates tended to have greater straight-line velocity and distance (P = 0.06 and P = 0.07, respectively). There were several interactions of treatment and day of storage for the kinematic parameters, however, these interactions do not show an observable trend for CARN to improve or depress sperm function. Overall, the inclusion of 625 mg/d of carnitine to the diet for 12 weeks had no effects on sperm output or quality with minor changes to sperm cell kinematics.

Comparison of single layer centrifugation and magnetic activated cell sorting for selecting viable boar spermatozoa after thawing

Sperm selection techniques, such as magnetic activated cell sorting (MACS) and colloid centrifugation, are reported to select good quality spermatozoa from semen samples of various species. Although the sperm quality of fresh boar semen is usually good, cryopreservation has a negative effect on parameters such as plasma membrane integrity and mitochondrial activity. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to determine whether MACS or centrifugation through a single layer of colloid (Single Layer Centrifugation, SLC) would be beneficial in enriching thawed boar sperm samples for viable spermatozoa with active mitochondria and good chromatin integrity. Frozen samples from three boars, three ejaculates per boar, were thawed and split. One part was selected by MACS, one was prepared by SLC, and the remainder served as the control. Controls and the selected sperm samples were evaluated for sperm quality (plasma membrane integrity, chromatin integrity, mitochondrial membrane potential and production of reactive oxygen species). Although several aspects of sperm quality were improved in the SLC-selected sperm samples compared to control, the flow-through MACS samples were only improved in having a lower proportion of spermatozoa with immature chromatin (Hi green fluorescence) compared to the labeled control. Sperm quality in the SLC samples was better than in the flow-through samples from MACS. Therefore, despite promising reports of the use of MACS for selecting good quality spermatozoa from semen in other species, the method was not useful for improving sperm quality in the thawed boar sperm samples in this experiment.

Hydroxytyrosol Benefits Boar Semen Quality via Improving Gut Microbiota and Blood Metabolome.

Semen quality is one of the most important factors for the success of artificial insemination which has been widely applied in swine industry to take the advantages of the superior genetic background and higher fertility capability of boars. Hydroxytyrosol (HT), a polyphenol, has attracted broad interest due to its strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial activities. Sperm plasma membrane contains a large proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids which is easily impaired by oxidative stress and thus to diminish semen quality. In current investigation, we aimed to explore the effects of dietary supplementation of HT on boar semen quality and the underlying mechanisms. Dietary supplementation of HT tended to increase sperm motility and semen volume/ejaculation. And the follow-up 2 months (without HT, just basal diet), the semen volume was significantly more while the abnormal sperm was less in HT group than that in control group. HT increased the “beneficial microbes” Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, Eubacterium, Intestinimonas, Coprococcus, and Butyricicoccus, however, decreased the relative abundance of “harmful microbes” Streptococcus, Oscillibacter, Clostridium_sensu_stricto, Escherichia, Phascolarctobacterium, and Barnesiella. Furthermore, HT increased plamsa steroid hormones such as testosterone and its derivatives, and antioxidant molecules while decreased bile acids and the derivatives. All the data suggest that HT improves gut microbiota to benefit plasma metabolites then to enhance spermatogenesis and semen quality. HT may be used as dietary additive to enhance boar semen quality in swine industry.

Poor semen quality in rams, bucks, and boars

This datasheet on poor semen quality in rams, bucks, and boars covers Identity, Hosts/Species Affected, Diagnosis.

Effect of Aloe Vera leaf Powder on Quality of Boar Semen

Effect of Aloe Vera leaf Powder on Quality of Boar Semen

37&#x2003;The comparison of different freezing methods and thawing temperatures on Windsnyer boar semen quality.

Reproduction, Fertility and Development is an international journal publishing original research , review and comment in the fields of reproduction and developmental biology in humans, domestic animals and wildlife

Hydroxy-selenomethionine as an organic source of selenium in the diet improves boar reproductive performance in artificial insemination programs.

This study aimed to compare different selenium (Se) sources in the diet on boar's semen quality and fertility. For this, 28 boars aged 8 to 28 mo were fed with the following dietary treatments for 95 d: 0.3 mg Se/kg as sodium selenite (SS; n = 14) and 0.3 mg Se/kg as hydroxy-selenomethionine (OH-SeMet; n = 14). During this period, two experiments were carried out. In experiment 1, the semen of all boars was evaluated every 2 wk. Raw semen was initially evaluated for the processing of seminal doses, which were stored at 17 °C for 72 h, followed by sperm quality assessments. Furthermore, Se concentration and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity were measured in the seminal plasma. In experiment 2, 728 females were inseminated weekly with seminal doses from boars of the different experimental groups to further assess in vivo fertility and litter characteristics. Results demonstrated that boars fed OH-SeMet had more Se in their seminal plasma (P < 0.05), showing the greater bioavailability of the organic source in the male reproductive system. Moreover, boars fed OH-SeMet tended (P < 0.10) toward a higher total sperm count in the ejaculate (66.60 vs. 56.57 × 109 sperm) and the number of seminal doses (22.11 vs. 18.86; 3 × 109 sperm/dose) when compared with those fed SS. No effect of the dietary treatments was observed on GPx activity in seminal plasma (P > 0.05) as well as on raw and stored semen quality (P > 0.05). Under in vivo conditions, seminal doses from boars fed OH-SeMet tended (P < 0.10) toward a higher pregnancy rate at weeks 3, 5, and 8, and also resulted in a higher (P < 0.05) percentage of pregnant females in the overall period (99.30 vs. 97.00). In conclusion, the replacement of SS with OH-SeMet in boars' diet can improve sperm production and results in better reproductive performance for them, bringing greater productivity and profitability to artificial insemination centers and commercial pig farms.

PSIII-1 Influence of prenatal or postnatal exposure to gossypol from cottonseed meal on semen quality in commercial boars: a preliminary study on feral hog control

Abstract The objective was to examine the influence of prenatal (Experiment 1) or postnatal (Experiment 2) exposure to gossypol from cottonseed meal (CSM) on semen quality in commercial boars. In Experiment 1, pregnant sows (n = 5) were fed a diet containing 0% (n = 1), 0.04% (n = 2), or 0.08% (n = 2) gossypol between d 56 and 86 of gestation. Boars (n = 11) born to sows in each treatment group (0% gossypol n = 3; 0.04% gossypol n = 4; 0.08% gossypol n = 4) were fed a common diet without CSM, and semen was collected at 269±2 d of age using a live sow in estrus. In Experiment 2, boars (n = 21) were fed a diet containing 0%, 0.02%, or 0.04% gossypol between 63±1 and 105±1 d of age (Initial BW: 19.85±0.43 kg). After the treatment period, boars were fed a common diet without CSM, and semen was collected at 238±7 d of age using a breeding dummy. Sperm cell concentration, percentage of motile sperm cells, and percentage of progressively motile sperm cells were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS with treatment as a fixed effect in Experiment 1 and 2 and dam as a random effect in Experiment 1. In Experiment 2, semen was not successfully collected from every boar; therefore, chi-square analysis was used to assess semen collection status between treatment groups using the FREQ procedure of SAS. In Experiment 1, there was no difference in sperm concentration (P = 0.45), percent motility (P = 0.71), or percent progressive motility (P = 0.27) between treatment groups. In Experiment 2, there was no difference in sperm concentration (P = 0.72), percent motility (P = 0.17), or percent progressive motility (P = 0.87) between treatment groups. No difference was observed in boar collection status between treatment groups (P = 0.77). In conclusion, prenatal or postnatal exposure to gossypol from CSM did not influence semen quality in commercial boars.

Monitoring the reactive oxygen species in spermatozoa during liquid storage of boar semen and its correlation with sperm motility, free thiol content and seasonality.

Oxidative stress is an important factor affecting the quality of spermatozoa during liquid storage of boar semen; however, monitoring of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that provides direct insight into the oxidative status is not yet attempted. This study aimed to monitor ROS in boar sperm during liquid semen storage to determine its correlation with sperm motility and free thiol (SH) content, and seasonality. Ejaculate was collected from mature Duroc boars in a commercial farm in autumn and spring, diluted in Mulberry III extender, stored at 15°C, and examined daily for sperm ROS level, SH content and motility. The ROS levels in spermatozoa prepared during autumn and spring were constantly low until days 4 and 5 of storage, respectively, which thereafter progressively increased in association with the loss of sperm motility. The increased sperm ROS level correlated with the higher SH level and lower motility, which was accentuated from day 4 of storage and was higher in September, or early autumn. This study indicates that increased sperm ROS levels during liquid storage results in oxidative damage, causing loss of sperm motility, presumably through decreased sperm viability, suggesting that sperm ROS monitoring effectively evaluates the quality of boar semen.

Zinc supplementation improves semen quality in boars

Zinc supplementation improves semen quality in boars

Arginine promotes testicular development in boars through nitric oxide and putrescine.

The present work aimed to explore the influence and underlying mechanisms involving arginine in testicular development in boars. To this end, thirty 30-day-old male Duroc piglets (7.00±0.30kg) were randomly sorted into two groups, maintained on either a basal diet (CON, n=15) or a diet supplemented with 0.8% arginine (ARG, n=15). Blood and testicular samples were collected during the experimental period to analyse amino acid composition and arginine metabolite levels. The results showed that dietary supplementation with arginine increased number of spermatogonia and height of the seminiferous epithelium (p<0.05). Sperm density, total number and effective number of sperm of the boars in the ARG group increased significantly compared with those in the CON group (p<0.05). Although arginine supplementation did not affect plasma amino acid levels, testicular arginine levels in 150-day-old boars exhibited a significant increase (p<0.05). The level of serum nitric oxide (NO) and activity of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) also increased in 150-day-old boars in the ARG group (p<0.05). Interestingly, dietary supplementation with arginine increased testicular levels of putrescine in 150-day-old boars (p<0.05). These results indicated that arginine supplementation increased serum NO levels and testicular arginine and putrescine abundance, thereby improving testicular development and semen quality in boars.

Effects of air exposure and agitation on quality of stored boar semen samples.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of semen volume, air contact inside semen dose tubes, daily agitation of semen doses and extender type on semen quality, thermo-resistance and bacteria growth in extended boar semen doses preserved over 7days of liquid storage. Ejaculates from 4 proven terminal cross-bred boars were collected using the gloved-hand technique for 4weeks and used in the 3×2×2 factorial study. The effects of treatment (CON: 80ml doses sealed at the top of the tube; 40HIGH: 40ml doses sealed at top of tube, and 40LOW: 40ml doses sealed at top of the liquid), agitation (agitated versus not agitated) and extender type (long-term versus short-term) were investigated on semen quality, thermo-resistance and bacteria growth in boar semen doses. The results of the study revealed that motility (p=.031) and viability (p=.041) in 40HIGH were lower than CON. pH (p<.001) was higher in 40HIGH compared with CON and 40LOW. Agitation did not impact motility (p=.581), progressive motility (p=.870), viability (p=.509) or morphology (p=.970), while long-term extender maintained higher motility (p=.002), progressive motility (p=.036), viability (p<.001) and normal acrosome (p<.001) than a short-term extender. VAP (p=.039) of 40HIGH was lower than CON in a thermo-resistance test. Neither treatment (p>.798, .766) nor agitation (p>.396, .476) impacted bacterial growth in this study. In conclusion, air contact negatively impacts boar semen pH and consequently sperm motility. Semen doses prepared with 80 or 40ml volumes of extended boar semen with minimal air contact in the tubes yield more desirable semen quality and agitating boar semen doses daily does not have negative or positive effects on boar semen quality.