Effect of Honey Solution on Semen Preservability of Local Breeds of Cattle Bulls

Abstract

Honey produced by the honey bee (Apis mellifera lamarckii) is a natural supersaturated sugar solution with other important nutritive ingredients. The present study aimed to improve semen preservability through the use of honey as extender additive expressed in chilled and frozen semen of native cattle bulls. Three mature cattle bulls were used for semen collection. Semen samples were diluted with TRIS extender (control) and TRIS-Honey bee extender (with a concentration of 0.5/4.5, 1/4, 1.5/3.5, 2/3, 2.5/2.5 ml (v/v) of honey / TCFY to obtain a final volume of 5 ml in each tube). Extended semen was slowly cooled, packed into 0.25 ml straws and frozen in liquid nitrogen. The parameters studied were subjective semen characteristics (motility, alive, abnormality and hypoosmotic swelling test (HOST) %) with the conception rate as a confirmatory field test. Results revealed that sperm motility % of the concentration 1.5/3.5 cc was the best after 7 days of chilling (55.55%), while 0.5/4.5 cc concentration was the best after thawing (62.50%) with a conception rate of 82.35%. Finally, it is concluded that, addition of 10% honey solution to semen extender improved sperm motility in chilled and frozen semen and also improved the conception rate.