Animals (Jun 2022)

Frequency of Semen Collection Affects Ram Sperm Cryoresistance

  • Cristina Palacin-Martinez,
  • Mercedes Alvarez,
  • Rafael Montes-Garrido,
  • Marta Neila-Montero,
  • Luis Anel-Lopez,
  • Paulino de Paz,
  • Luis Anel,
  • Marta F. Riesco

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12121492
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12, no. 12
p. 1492

Abstract

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The improvement of frozen-thawed sperm quality has been mostly approached from the view of cryopreservation protocol optimization in terms of cryoprotectant solutions, freezing-thawing rates and antioxidant supplementation, while the impact of sperm collection frequency remains unknown in rams. In this work, a multiparametric study was carried out in cooled and frozen-thawed semen to evaluate sperm quality after different semen collection frequencies during a month: zero sperm collection (0 CW), four sperm collections per week (4 CW), and ten sperm collections per week (10 CW). Traditional analyses have been applied, in combination with novel technologies related to redox balance. Frozen-thawed semen quality showed a significant decrease (p p p < 0.05) in 10 CW compared to 0 CW and 4 CW. The characterization of alternative strategies to sperm cryopreservation based on consideration of male sexual regimes, could improve the quality of frozen-thawed sperm.

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