Animals (Jun 2020)

Crocin Improves the Quality of Cryopreserved Goat Semen in Different Breeds

  • Valentina Longobardi,
  • Gianluigi Zullo,
  • Alessio Cotticelli,
  • Angela Salzano,
  • Giuseppe Albero,
  • Luigi Navas,
  • Domenico Rufrano,
  • Salvatore Claps,
  • Gianluca Neglia

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10061101
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 10, no. 6
p. 1101

Abstract

Read online

The effect of crocin in the semen extender before cryopreservation was evaluated on sperm parameters of 20 bucks of five different breeds: Garganica (GA), Jonica (JO), Maltese (MA), Mediterranean Red (MR) and Saanen (SA). Semen samples were centrifuged, to remove seminal plasma, divided in two aliquots and diluted with Tris-egg-yolk-based extender, containing 0 (control group) and 1 mM crocin. Crocin concentration was established after a preliminary dose trial. On fresh and frozen-thawed sperm, motility, viability, morphology, membrane integrity, DNA fragmentation and ROS levels were evaluated. The freezing process led to a decrease (p p p p < 0.01) in the crocin-treated sperm of all breeds, as compared to the control. In conclusion, supplementation of 1 mM crocin in the extender decreased oxidative stress, improving sperm motility and the DNA integrity of frozen-thawed sperm in different breeds.

Keywords