Semenology in goats and sheep

Results showed that percentage motility and proportion of spermatozoa with normal acrozome were higher with Tris-Fructose-Egg Yolk + vacuum-flush-nitrogen (TFY-VFN) diluent under nitrogen atmosphere and stored at 5 deg C to a maximum of four days. Nitrogen atmosphere prolonged the viability of spermatozoa up to eight days of storage when semen was diluted with Tris + catalase extender compared to those diluted either with coconut milk (CME) or CME + catalase. Sperm motility and acrosome integrity declined with length of storage up to eight days at 5 deg C. TFY-VFN maintained semen motility up to eight days better than TFY + catalase, coconut milk extender (CME) and CME + catalase. Semen washing had a significant influence on the percentage motility of spermatozoa relative to the kind of diluent. Spermatozoa diluted in TFY-VFN, stored at 5 deg C and either washed once or twice maintained motility and acrosome integrity up to 10 days as compared to unwashed samples. Spermatozoa survival was prolonged up to six days by semen storage at 5 deg C compared to 25 deg C storage. Motility of semen diluted in Tris and Tris + catalase was higher than those diluted in coconut milk or coconut milk + catalase. Catalase concentration of 100, 400, 800 and 1,000 iu/ml can be incorporated to TFY-VFN diluent without deleterious effects to motility and acrosome integrity. Day-old Dadiangas buck semen had higher fertilizing capacity than four-day old semen. The semen dilution rates of 1:3 and 1:4 regardless of breeds and species showed higher post thawing motility. For liquid storage, the diluent TFY-VFN was superior than Cornell University Extender (CUE) for both buck and ram semen under nitrogen gas and stored at 5 deg C. The protocol for the preservation, storage and insemination of liquid-stored buck or ram semen was developed. The testicular sperm reserves in native goats showed that the number of spermatozoa (sperm cells) per testis was 70.47E6 while the number of spermatozoa per gram testis was 2.13E6. The testicular sperm reserve was negatively correlated with age, body weight, scrotal circumference, and right and left testis volume. The epididymal sperm reserves showed a positive correlation with age, scrotal circumference right and left testis volume, right and left testis width and length, scrotal weight, right and left epididymis weight, and total epididymis weight. Semen characteristics varied with breeds