Cryopreservation is connected with increased undesirable premature sperm capacitation, reduced lifespan and fertility results. Taurine acts as an antioxidant improving the semen quality after cryopreservation. The objective of the current study is to assess the effect of addition of different levels of taurine amino acid to tris-extender on bull sperm cryo-preservability. Methods: The collected semen samples were pooled and diluted with tris-citric acid-fructose egg yolk extender (control, 0 percent taurine) and different concentrations of taurine (10 mM, 20 Mm, 30 Mm, 40 Mm, 50 Mm, 60 Mm, 70 Mm, 80 Mm, 90 Mm and 100 mM) to final concentration of 60 *10**(6) motile sperm/ml. Diluted semen was processed for freezing and evaluated for sperm parameters. Results: Data showed that taurine enriched extender improved sperm parameters during cooling. Post thawing sperm motility percent, membrane integrity percent, Alive sperm percent improved and the percentages of abnormal sperm was lowered upon using taurine enriched extender. Conclusion: It could be concluded that, most the concentrations of taurine in Tris-citrate egg yolk extender ameliorated the post cooling and post freezing semen quality in buffalo bulls.

The objective of the present study was to measure pixel intensity mean (Echogenicity) and pixel intensity standard deviation (Heterogeneity) of testicular parenchyma in constantly low or high sperm concentration producing bulls. The average sperm concentration/ml in ejaculate over thirteen month's period (GT= 100 ejaculates) was recorded. On the basis of sperm concentration, bulls were grouped into: Low sperm concentration (Group A, n=6: age 4.5 to 6 years) and High sperm concentration (Group B1, n=6: age 4.5 to 6 years and B2, n=3: age 7 to 7.5 years) for this experiment. Digital image analysis of ultrasound scan images was done to measure echogenicity and heterogeneity by using ImageJ software. There was no significant difference in echogenicity values between groups, whereas image heterogeneity values of Group A showed statistically significant (P LT 0.05) lower in comparison with B1 and B2. However, between Group B1 and B2 there was no difference. No correlation was observed between the echogenicity and heterogeneity values in any of the groups. Heterogeneity of echo structure may indicate the seminiferous tubule diameter, sertoli cell population and fluid density within tubules. In conclusion, lower sperm output was observed in testes that were less heterogenic at the tissue level. The heterogeneity values in bulls for rejection at the time of BSE (Breeding soundness evaluation) should be studied in more detail to have more insight and to incorporate in BSE of Murrah bull.

The present study was undertaken to identify the difference in sperm kinematics in Murrah buffalo bulls in different seasons. Eight Murrah buffalo bulls maintained at Artificial Breeding Research Centre, ICAR-NDRI Karnal. Frozen semen samples of the bulls were obtained and sperm kinematic parameters were measured by computer-assisted sperm analyzer. The sperm kinematic parameters included curvilinear velocity (VCL), linear velocity (VSL), average path velocity (VAP), distance of average path (DAP), distance straight line (DSL), straightness coefficient (STR), linearity (LIN), amplitude of lateral head displacement (ALH), and beat cross frequency (BCF). Morphological abnormality of sperm includes bent tail (BT), coiled tail (CT), distal droplets (DD) and distal mid-piece reflex (DMR). Analysis revealed that the proportion of BT was significantly (P LT 0.05) lower in winter and autumn season as compared to summer and rainy season. Percent of total motile and progressive motile sperm was significantly (P LT 0.05) higher in winter season as compared to summer and rainy season. The VAP, VSL and VCL of sperm motion were significantly (P LT 0.05) higher in winter and autumn season as compared to the summer season. The DAP and STR were significantly (P LT 0.05) higher in winter and autumn season as compared to summer and rainy season. DSL and LIN were significantly (P LT 0.05) lower in summer and rainy season followed by autumn and winter season. Post-thaw motility and motion parameter varied significantly between seasons, and higher sperm motility was maintained in semen cryopreserved in winter followed by autumn, rainy and summer season.

The study was carried out to understand the effect of various concentrations of cholesterol loaded cyclodextrin (CLC) on cryosurvivability of buffalo spermatozoa. Twenty four ejaculates with mass motility GT= 3+ from 4 bulls (6 from each bull) were collected as per standard procedure. Each ejaculate was split into four groups viz., Group I (control: extended with Tris-egg yolk-glycerol extender upto 80*106 sperm/ml), Group II (treated with CLC 1 mg/ml), Group III (treated with CLC 2 mg/ml) and Group IV (treated with CLC 3 mg/ml). Semen samples of Group II, III or IV were incubated with CLC at 37 deg C for 15 minutes for the entry of cholesterol into sperms and finally diluted upto 80*106 sperm/ml. The results revealed that post-dilution and after freezing at 0.7 and 30 days of cryopreservation motility, live and dead, acrosomal integrity and hypo-osmotic swelling test were significantly (P LT 0.05) higher in Group III as compared to all other groups. However, significantly (P LT 0.05) higher percentage of abnormal sperm was observed in control group as compared to other groups. Therefore, addition of CLC 2 mg/ml in extender during buffalo semen cryopreservation has beneficial role in improvement of semen quality.

Study was undertaken to investigate the fertility of frozen semen from three Nili-Ravi buffalo bulls using three different extenders. Semen was extended in milk-yolk-glycerol, lactose-yolk-glycerol and fructose-lactose-yolk-glycerol, kept in 0.5 ml straws and frozen in liquid nitrogen. Only normal cyclic buffaloes were inseminated with the post-thaw semen. Fertility was based on pregnancy test through rectal palpation at 45 to 50 days post insemination. Milk-yolk-glycerol extender showed the best fertility result (49.82 percent) among all the extenders (45.68 percent for lactose-yolk-glycerol and 39.01 % for fructose-lactose-yolk-glycerol)