THE INFLUENCE OF DIFFERENT MOLECULAR WEIGHT SEMINAL PLASMA PROTEIN CONTENT ON SOME FERTILITY PARAMETERS IN BOAR'S EJACULATES

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of different percentage of seminal plasma proteins with different molecular weight on sperm motility and fertility parameters (farrowing rate (FR), number of live-born pigs (PBA) per litter and percentage of unsuccessful insemination). A total of 50 sperm-rich ejaculate fractions were collected (one per boar) using the gloved hand method. The quality parameters of the semen samples were first evaluated at the farm. Further assessment of sperm quality was performed on a CASA - computer assisted semen analysis by two competent operators. Seminal plasma protein fractions were obtained by AOAC - Association of Official Analytical Chemists as a chemical method. The assessment of reproductive performance was carried out based on collected data of three parameters in selected 9696 sows: FR, PBA per litter and percentage of unsuccessful insemination. Protein fractions were divided in to three groups (10 – 20kDa, 21 – 30kDa and 31 – 40kDa) Proteins with 10 – 20kDa did not have significant effect and correlation with analyzed parameters. Significant differences were recorded in farrowing rate between samples with up to 80 % compared to samples with 10% of proteins with 21 – 30kDa. Significant differences were recorded in unsuccessful insemination between samples with different percentage of proteins with 31 – 40kDa. Results of this study have shown the effect of different percentage of certain fraction of seminal plasma proteins on boar ejaculates fertility potential. Key words: boars; semen quality; seminal plasma proteins; reproductive results VPLIV VSEBNOSTI BELJAKOVIN SEMENSKE PLAZME RAZLIČNIH MOLEKULARNIH TEŽ NA NEKATERE PARAMETRE PLODNOSTI V EJAKULATIH MERJASCEV Povzetek: Cilj opisane raziskave je bil proučiti vpliv prisotnosti beljakovin semenske plazme z različno molekulsko maso na gibljivost semenčic in parametre plodnosti kot so: stopnja prasitev, število živorojenih prašičev na leglo in odstotek neuspešnih osemenitev. Po metodi z orokavičeno roko je bilo zbranih 50 frakcij ejakulata, bogatih s semenčicami (1 na merjasca). Na kmetiji smo najprej ocenili parametre kakovosti vzorcev semena. Nadaljnja ocena kakovosti semenčic je bila izvedena z računalniško podprto analizo semena (CASA), ki sta jo izvedla dva usposobljena operaterja. Semenske frakcije beljakovin v plazmi so bile pridobljene s pomočjo AOAC - metode. Ocena reproduktivne učinkovitosti je bila izvedena na podlagi zbranih podatkov treh parametrov pri izbranih 9696 svinjah. Proteinske frakcije so bile razdeljene v tri skupine (10 – 20 kDa, 21 – 30 kDa in 31 – 40 kDa). Beljakovine velikosti 10 - 20 kDa niso imele značilnega učinka in soodvisnosti z analiziranimi parametri. Ugotovili pa smo statistično značilne razlike v stopnji prasitve med vzorci z do 80 % beljakovin velikosti 21 - 30kDa v primerjavi z vzorci s samo 10 % beljakovin velikosti 21 - 30kDa. Statistično značilne razlike so bile ugotovljene tudi pri uspešnosti osemenitev med vzorci z različnim odstotkom beljakovin velikosti 31 - 40kDa. Rezultati te študije kažejo vpliv različnega odstotka določenega deleža beljakovin iz semenske plazme na potencial plodnosti merjascev. Ključne besede: merjasci; kakovost semena; semenske beljakovine v plazmi; reprodukcijski rezultati