THE EFFECT OF SEMEN WASHING AND SOYBEAN LECITHIN LEVEL ON MOTILITY AND VIABILITY OF RAM SPERMATOZOA STORED AT 5oC

Abstract

The objectives of this reserarch were to study the effect of semen washing and soybean lecithin level on the motility and viability of ram spermatozoa stored at 5oC. Semen was collected from three mature rams by artificial vagina. Semen was evaluated by macroscopic and microscopic. Semen was divided into ten tubes, the semen of first five tubes was unwashed (W0) and diluted with extender 0%, 1%, 2%, 3% and 4% soybean lecithin (L0, L1, L2, L3 and L4). Semen of another five tubes were washed (W1) then each diluted with similar extender levels. The diluted semen samples were stored at 5oC and the sperm motility and viability were evaluated each day. The interaction of the semen washing and soybean lecithin levels were no significant differences (P>0.05) but the single factor of soybean lecithin level was significant differeNces (P0.05) on progressive motility and viability of ram sperm.The best extender was 3% soybean lecithin (L3) with the percentage of ram sperm progressive motility was 63.18 ± 3.61% and viability was 71.76±2.32%.

Keywords

• motility
• ram semen
• semen washing
• sperm
• soybean lecithin viability