Some physical characteristics and response to hypo-osmolaity levels of epididymal camel spermatozoa stored at 25 or 5 degree C.

This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of different storage periods at 25 or 5 ◦C of camel testes (camelus dromedais) after slaughter on motility, livability, abnormality and the response to hypo-osmotic swollen test (HOS-test) of epididymal spermatozoa, Twelve testes of camel bulls (6-10 years) were collected from the abattoir after slaughtering and placed immediately into plastic bag in thermos at 25◦C or into icebox at 5◦C, then transported to the laboratory, The time between the removal of the testes and arrival at laboratory was approximately 6 h. Camel spermatozoa were recovered from the tail of epididymis by aspiration of the testes stored at 25 for or 55C for 6, 12 or 24 h after slaughtering, Results show that the percent of motility (61.6 vs, 43.3 %) and livability (54.3 vs. 51.6%) were higher, while the percent of sperm abnormality (19.0 vs. 20.0%) was lower for spermatozoa recovered from testes stored at 25◦C for 6 than 12 hours. The differences were significant (P0.05) only for sperm motility. In testes stored at 5◦C, percents of motility and livability were decreased by increasing storage period from 6 up to 24 hours, while sperm abnormality increased from 14.0% after 6 h. The differences were not significant to 25% after 24 h. Spermatozoa recovered from testes stored at 25◦C for 6 or 12 hours showed similar response to HOS-test, being 46.3 and 46.9%, respectively. Whoever, testes stored at 5◦C, percent of curled spermatozoa gradually decreased (P¡Ý0.05) from 51.9 up to 49.9% by increasing storage period from 6 up to 24 h. Percent of curled spermatozoa recovered from testes stored at 25◦C increased (P0.05) from 20.1 % at 300 mOsmol/1 to 69.78% at 50 mOsmol/l. The highest response was observed by decreasing osmolarity level from 200 to 150 mOsmol/l, while the lowest response was found between 100 and 50 mOsmol/l. At 5◦C, percents of curling were 19.2% at 300 mOsmol and 76.9% at 50 mOsmoL Percent of curling increased (P0.05) by increasing testing time from 10 up to 30 min for both epididymal spermatozoa recovered from testes stored at 25 or 5◦C. All interactions on percentage of curled spermatozoa were not significant at 25 or 5◦C. The current study indicated the possibility of recovering epididymal spermatozoa with acceptaple percentages of motility, livability and membrane integrity from testes stored at 5◦C for 24 hours collected from slaughtered camels.