Extender and centrifugation effects on the motility patterns of slow-cooled stallion spermatozoa.

Abstract

Slow-cooled stallion spermatozoa, with and without seminal plasma removed by centrifugation, were diluted in Kenney's extender (KB) containing nonfat dry skim milk with glucose and antibiotics or in KE supplemented by adding a modified high-potassium Tyrode's medium (KMT). Four ejaculates from each of four stallions were collected and divided factorially across these four treatments. Percentage of motile sperm, path velocity, and linearity immediately after treatment (0 h) and after storage at 4°C for 24, 48, and 72 h were evaluated objectively by use of a HTM-2030 sperm motility analyzer. Stallions were a significant source of variation (P < .01) throughout. After sperm had cooled, effects of stallion, extender, centrifugation, and their interactions were all found to be significant (P < .01). The motility at 0, 24, 48, and 72 h for centrifuged KE was 74, 47, 39, and 24%; for uncentrifuged KE was 76, 56, 50, and 37%; for centrifuged KMT was 76, 75, 72, and 64%; and for uncentrifuged KMT was 80, 50, 26, and 13%, respectively. The extender × centrifugation interaction, after 24, 48, and 72 h of storage, accounted for half or more of the variation. Whereas centrifugation of semen extended in KE seemed to be harmful to sperm, motility of sperm extended in KMT after centrifugation was remarkably conserved for 72 h and was superior to all other treatments (P < .05). This extender is promising for preserving liquid stallion semen when it must be transported before use in artificial insemination.