Lyophilized seminal plasma can improve stallion semen freezability

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of lyophilized seminal plasma (LSP) on stallion semen freezability. Seminal plasma from 30 stallions was lyophilized to obtain a pool of LSP. Fifteen ejaculates from five stallions were supplemented before freezing with 0 mg/mL (Control), 1.44 mg/mL (LSP1), 5.04 mg/mL (LSP2) or 8.68 mg/ mL (LSP3) of LSP. Total antioxidant capacity (TAC) of LSP was assessed using Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) assay. Post-thaw motility and kinetics, sperm viability, normal morphology and membrane integrity were evaluated. Completely randomized mixed models were fitted for data analyses. The results was analyzed based on freezability of semen samples. TAC for LSP pool was 13679.4±911.6 μmol Trolox 100/g (ORAC units). Semen supplementation with LSP1 and LSP2 showed a positive effect on post-thaw total motility and membrane integrity. Supplementation with LSP3 showed a decrease in post-thaw total and progressive motility, straight line velocity and sperm viability. For poor freezability semen samples, supplementation with LSP1 and LSP2, showed higher post-thaw total motility and membrane integrity than good freezability semen samples. In conclusion, supplementation with LSP can improve the post-thaw seminal quality of stallion semen with poor freezability.

Keywords

• Equine
• Oxidative stress
• Semen freezing
• Seminal plasma
• Sperm