Comparison of in vitro and in vivo fertilizing potential of buffalo bull semen frozen in egg yolk‐, soya bean lecithin‐ and liposome‐based extenders

• Published in: Reproduction in domestic animals Vol. 53; no. 1; pp. 195 - 202
• Main Authors: Singh, AK, Kumar, A, Honparkhe, M, Kaur, S, Kaur, H, Ghuman, SPS, Brar, PS
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01-02-2018
• Subjects: Acrosome reaction; Acrosome Reaction - drug effects; Animals; Artificial insemination; Buffalo; buffalo bull spermatozoa; Buffaloes; Cell Membrane - drug effects; Cryopreservation; Cryopreservation - veterinary; Cryoprotective Agents; Deoxyribonucleic acid; DNA; Egg Yolk; Female; Fertility; Glycine max - chemistry; Insemination, Artificial - veterinary; Integrity; Lecithin; Lecithins; liposome; Liposomes; Male; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Rate; Reproduction (biology); Semen; Semen Analysis - veterinary; Semen Preservation - methods; Semen Preservation - veterinary; Sperm; Sperm Motility - drug effects; Spermatozoa - physiology; Viability; Yolk; lecithin; buffalo bull spermatozoa; cryopreservation; liposome; egg yolk; fertility
• ISSN: 0936-6768; 1439-0531
• DOI: 10.1111/rda.13092

Contents
The objective of this study was to compare different extenders for post‐thaw in vitro sperm function and in vivo fertility of buffalo semen. Accordingly, sperm of 30 ejaculates extended in egg yolk (TRIS with 20% egg yolk; EY), two soya lecithin‐based (SL‐1; AndroMed® and SL‐2; Bioxcell®) and a liposome‐based extender (LS; OptiXcell®) were tested. The post‐thaw semen was evaluated for computer‐assisted sperm analysis (CASA), sperm viability, membrane and acrosome integrity, DNA integrity and acrosome reaction and first service pregnancy rate (FSPR) in a fixed‐time artificial insemination programme. Total motility and VCL were the only CASA‐based parameters that exhibited significantly higher (p < .05) percentage in LS among these extenders. Post‐thaw percentage of acrosome integrity (55.9 ± 1.4, 58.1 ± 2.0, 55.8 ± 2.0, 56.6 ± 2.3) and DNA integrity (68.8 ± 2.0, 69.2 ± 2.3, 71.3 ± 2.1, 69.1 ± 2.1) did not differ (p > .05) in EY, SL‐1, SL‐2 and LS extender, respectively. However, a variable response in terms of efficacy of different extenders for sperm viability and plasma membrane integrity was observed. Assessment of inducibility of acrosome reaction showed significant differences between extenders (51.9 ± 2.1, 44.3 ± 2.4, 46.1 ± 2.3 and 58.1 ± 3.1%, respectively, for EY, SL‐1, SL‐2 and LS). Furthermore, field trials revealed significantly higher (p < .05) FSPR of LS‐extended semen as compared to that for EY, SL‐1 and SL‐2 extender (46.3%, 41.2%, 31.2% and 29.7%, respectively). It is concluded that the liposome‐based extender is more effective than egg yolk‐ and soya lecithin‐based extenders and may be used for cryopreservation of buffalo semen in the future.