Investigation of Relationships between DNA Integrity and Fresh Semen Parameters in Rams

Abstract

Summary The aim of the present study was to evaluate the correlation between the routine semen analyses and sperm DNA integrity, as assesed by TUNEL in fresh semen of rams in Kivircik and Awassi breeds in breeding season. Semen was collected by electro-ejaculation five times every other day. For that purpose, 50 fresh ejaculates from 6 Kivircik and 4 Awassi rams were evaluated. The mean percentages of semen volume, concentration, mass activity, motility, acrosomal defects, HOST and DNA fragmentation of Kivircik and Awassi rams were 1.3 ml, 1.9 x109, 3.3 (0-5 scale), 72.6%, 13.2%, 73.6%, 16.2% and 1.0 ml, 1.9 x109, 3.3 (0-5 scale), 72.5%, 11.1%, 77.9%, 15.9%; respectively (P>0.05). Sperm DNA fragmentation was correlated adversely with semen volume (r = -0.329, P 0.05), mass activity (r = -0.349, P 0.05) and HOS test (r = -0.513, P<0.01). This study provided clear evidence that most of the parameters evaluated herein related to DNA fragmentation at one point or the other. Hence, DNA structure evaluation of sperm might be a useful tool for accurate prediction of the male fertility in individual rams.