Use of Cholesterol‐Loaded Cyclodextrin in Donkey Semen Cryopreservation Improves Sperm Viability but Results in Low Fertility in Mares |
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| Authors: | RR Oliveira DM Rates G Pugliesi PG Ker RP Arruda EA Moraes GR Carvalho |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Department of Animal Science, Federal University of Vi?osa, , Vi?osa, MG, Brazil;2. Department of Animal Reproduction, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of S?o Paulo, , Pirassununga, SP, Brazil;3. Department of Animal Science, Federal University of Vale do S?o Francisco, , Petrolina, PE, Brazil |
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| Abstract: | The use of cholesterol‐loaded cyclodextrin (CLC) on semen cryopreservation has been related with better sperm viability in several species; however, the effect on fertility is not known in donkey semen. Ejaculates (n = 25) from five donkeys were diluted in S‐MEDIUM with 0, 1, 2 or 3 mg of CLC/120 × 106 spermatozoa. Semen was frozen, and thawed samples were evaluated by computer‐assisted sperm analyser system (CASA), supravital test, hyposmotic swelling test and fluorescent dyes to assess the integrity of sperm membranes. Mares (n = 60) were inseminated with frozen‐thawed semen treated with the doses of 0 or 1 mg CLC. Percentages of sperm with progressive motility and with functional plasma membrane were greater (p < 0.05) in the CLC‐treated groups than in the control. Percentages of intact plasma membrane and intact plasma membrane and acrosome detected by fluorescent dyes were also greater (p < 0.05) in CLC‐treated groups. Although no difference (p > 0.05) in conception rates was detected between groups (control, 3/30, 10%; CLC‐treated, 1/30, 3.3%), fertility was low for artificial insemination programs in mares. Therefore, we firstly demonstrated that frozen semen treated with CLC in S‐MEDIA extender before freezing improves the in vitro sperm viability, but semen treated or not with CLC in S‐MEDIUM extender results in a very low conception rate in mares inseminated with thawed donkey semen. |
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