Comparative ejaculatory response, fresh and frozen semen quality and fertility to artificial vagina vs electroejaculation method of semen collection in mithun ( <i>Bos frontalis</i> ) bulls

Abstract

The study aimed to describe a comparative ejaculatory response, fresh and frozen-thawed semen quality and fertility of semen collected by artificial vagina and electroejaculation in mithun. Experimental bulls were divided into two groups, G-I: young bulls (n = 4; 4–5 years of age) and G-II: older bulls (n = 4; 8–10 years of age). Sixteen ejaculates were collected from each group G-I (AV1) and G-II (AV2) by artificial vagina method (control). Thirty-six ejaculates were collected from the same bulls from each group G-I (EE1) and G-II (EE2) by electroejaculation method (treatment). The study did not reveal any significant (p > 0.05) difference in the ejaculatory responses between EE1 and EE2. Mann-Whitney U test indicated that salivation discomfort sign score was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in EE1. Fresh and frozen-thawed semen quality parameters, and motility and velocity profiles recorded by computer-assisted sperm analyser were significantly (p < 0.05) lower in electroejaculation than the artificial vagina. The conception rates (AV1 vs EE1 & AV2 vs EE2) at day 35–45 post insemination were nonsignificantly higher (p > 0.05) in the artificial vagina group. It concluded that, although artificial vagina method has better semen quality, nevertheless, electroejaculation has the potential for semen collection from free-range mithun bulls to incorporate in assisted reproductive technology procedures.