Ostrich egg yolk improves post thaw quality and in vivo fertility of Nili Ravi buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) bull spermatozoa.

Egg yolk containing a higher ratio of phospholipids and cholesterol may have better cryoprotective effect to buffalo spermatozoa during cryopreservation. Our objectives were to ascertain the comparison of Ostrich and chicken egg yolk in semen extender on post thaw quality, motion dynamics and in vivo fertility of Nili Ravi buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) bull spermatozoa. Semen samples (n = 45) from five bulls were collected once a week for a period of nine weeks and diluted in Triladyl® extender having different concentrations of Ostrich egg yolk (10%, 15%, 20%) and 20% chicken egg yolk as control at 37 °C. Diluted semen samples were frozen in 0.54 mL French straws with programmable freezer. Post thaw sperm progressive motility (%), morphology (%), average path velocity (μm/s), straight line velocity (μm/s), Linearity (%), straightness (%), length of straight line path (μm), plasma membrane integrity (%), acrosome membrane integrity (%), DNA integrity (%) and mitochondrial activity were higher (P < 0.05) in spermatozoa cryopreserved in extender containing 20% Ostrich egg yolk as compared to 20% chicken egg yolk and other groups. The fertility rates (67.61% vs 54.2%) were higher (P < 0.05) in buffaloes inseminated with semen doses frozen in extender containing 20% Ostrich egg yolk than the 20% chicken egg yolk. It is concluded that 20% Ostrich egg yolk in extender improves post thaw semen quality, motion dynamics and in vivo fertility in Nili Ravi buffaloes.

Naz S ，Umair M ，Iqbal S 《-》

Comparison of Tris egg yolk-based, Triladyl(®) and Optixell(®) extender on post-thaw quality, Kinematics and in vivo fertility of Nili Ravi Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) bull spermatozoa.

Our objectives were to ascertain the comparison of Tris egg yolk-based, Triladyl® and Optixell® extender on postthaw quality, CASA parameters and in vivo fertility of Nili Ravi buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) bull spermatozoa. Semen samples (n = 35) from five bulls were diluted in Tris egg yolk-based, Triladyl® , Optixell® extender and frozen in 0.50 ml French straws. Postthaw sperm CASA motility (%) was higher (p < 0.05) in Optixell extender as compared to Triladyl and Tris egg yolk-based extender. Although sperm progressive motility (%), morphology (%), average path velocity (μm/s), straight line velocity (μm/s), curvilinear velocity (μm/s), amplitude of lateral head displacement (μm), beat cross-frequency (Hz), straightness (%), length of curvilinear path (μm), length of average path (μm), intact plasma and acrosome membrane (%), and DNA integrity (%) were higher (p < 0.05) in spermatozoa cryopreserved in Optixell® extender as compared to Tris egg yolk-based and Triladyl® extender. The fertility rates (68.18%, 45.45%, 55.4%) were higher (p < 0.05) in buffaloes inseminated with semen doses frozen in Optixell extender than the Tris egg yolk-based and Triladyl® extender respectively. It is concluded that Optixell® extender improves postthaw semen quality and fertility in Nili Ravi buffaloes.

Naz S ，Umair M ，Iqbal S 《-》

Trehalose improves semen antioxidant enzymes activity, post-thaw quality, and fertility in Nili Ravi buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis).

Our objectives were to study the effect of trehalose in extender on (1) antioxidant enzymes profile during cryopreservation (after dilution, before freezing, and after thawing), (2) in vitro quality (after thawing), and (3) in vivo fertility of Nili Ravi buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) bull spermatozoa. Semen samples (n = 20) from four buffalo bulls were diluted in Tris-citric acid-based extender having different concentrations of trehalose (0.0, 15, 30, 45, and 60 mM) and frozen in French straws. At post dilution, profile of sperm catalase (U/mL) was higher (P < 0.05) in extenders containing 15, 30, and 45 mM of trehalose as compared to control. Although profiles of superoxide dismutase (U/mL) and total glutathione (μM) were higher (P < 0.05) in extenders containing 15 and 30 mM of trehalose as compared to control. At prefreezing, sperm catalase, superoxide dismutase, and total glutathione profiles were higher (P < 0.05) in all the treatment groups as compared to control. At post thawing, the profiles of catalase and total glutathione were higher (P < 0.05) in extender containing 30-mM trehalose as compared to other treatment groups and control. Whereas, profile of superoxide dismutase was higher (P < 0.05) in extenders containing 30, 45, and 60 mM of trehalose as compared to control and 15mM group. Post thaw total sperm motility (%) was higher (P < 0.05) in extender containing 30-mM trehalose as compared to control and 15 and 60-mM groups. Although sperm progressive motility (%), rapid velocity (%), average path velocity (μm/s), straight line velocity (μm/s), curvilinear velocity (μm/s), plasma membrane (structural and functional, %), acrosome (%), and DNA (%) integrity were higher (P < 0.05) in extender containing 30 mM trehalose as compared to other treatment groups and control. The fertility rates (61% vs. 43%) were higher (P < 0.05) in buffaloes inseminated with semen doses cryopreserved in extender containing 30 mM of trehalose than the control. It is concluded that addition of 30-mM trehalose in extender improves the semen antioxidant enzymes activity, post thaw quality, and fertility in Nili Ravi buffaloes.

Iqbal S ，Andrabi SMH ，Riaz A ，Durrani AZ ，Ahmad N ... -  《-》

Cryopreservation of Nili-Ravi buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) semen in AndroMed(®) extender; in vitro and in vivo evaluation.

The study was designed to evaluate AndroMed® for the freezability and fertility of Nili-Ravi buffalo semen. Semen was collected from four adult Nili-Ravi buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) bulls for 3 weeks (replicate). Semen ejaculates from each buffalo bull were divided into three aliquots. One aliquot was used for evaluation of motility, plasma membrane integrity, livability, viability, DNA integrity and normal apical ridge. Remaining two aliquots were diluted (37°C; 50 × 106 spermatozoa/ml) in tris-citric egg yolk or AndroMed® extender and cryopreserved in 0.5 ml French straws. After thawing, per cent post-thaw motility (47.9 ± 0.8, 49.2 ± 1.7), plasma membrane integrity (44.4 ± 1.2, 46.8 ± 1.8) and normal apical ridge (81.4 ± 0.3, 83.2 ± 0.3) were recorded similar (p > .05) in tris-citric egg yolk and AndroMed® extender. Higher (p < .05) percentage of sperm livability (70.5 ± 1.4 and 64.4 ± 1.0), viability (67.5 ± 1.5 and 61.5 ± 0.6) and DNA integrity (97.0 ± 0.3 and 93.4 ± 0.21) were recorded in AndroMed® compared to tris-citric egg yolk post-thaw. Values for all the aforementioned spermatozoal quality parameters were observed lower (p < .05) in frozen-thawed compared to fresh semen irrespective of the experimental extenders. Fertility rates of buffalo semen did not differ (p > .05) either cryopreserved in tris-citric egg yolk or AndroMed® extender (45.5% vs. 49%). It is concluded that AndroMed® is capable in protecting the buffalo bull sperm during freeze-thawing process and can be adopted safely for routine use replacing the tris-citric egg yolk extender in artificial insemination programme.

Ansari MS ，Rakha BA ，Akhter S 《-》

l-Cysteine improves antioxidant enzyme activity, post-thaw quality and fertility of Nili-Ravi buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) bull spermatozoa.

The effects of l-cysteine in extender on antioxidant enzymes profile during cryopreservation, post-thaw quality parameters and in vivo fertility of Nili-Ravi buffalo bull spermatozoa were studied. Semen samples from 4 buffalo bulls were diluted in Tris-citric acid-based extender having different concentrations of l-cysteine (0.0, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 mm) and frozen in 0.5-ml French straws. The antioxidative enzymes [catalase, super oxide dismutase and total glutathione (peroxidase and reductase)] were significantly higher (P < 0.05) at pre-freezing and post-thawing in extender containing 2.0 mm l-cysteine as compared to other groups. Post-thaw total motility (%), progressive motility (%), rapid velocity (%), average path velocity (μm s-1 ), straight line velocity (μm s-1 ), curvilinear velocity (μm s-1 ), beat cross frequency (Hz), viable spermatozoa with intact plasmalemma (%), acrosome and DNA integrity (%) were higher with the addition of 2.0 mm l-cysteine as compared to other groups (P < 0.05). The fertility rates (59 versus 43%) were higher (P < 0.05) in buffaloes inseminated with doses containing 2.0 mm of l-cysteine than in the control. In conclusion, the addition of 2.0 mm l-cysteine in extender improved the antioxidant enzymes profile, post-thaw quality and in vivo fertility of Nili-Ravi buffalo bull spermatozoa.

Iqbal S ，Riaz A ，Andrabi SM ，Shahzad Q ，Durrani AZ ，Ahmad N ... -  《-》