Melatonin in cryodiluent improves post-thaw quality and fertility of Murrah buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) bull spermatozoa

Ashwani Kumar Singh; Pardeep Singh; Pooja Devi; Ajeet Kumar; Narinder Singh; Navdeep Singh Ratta; Prahlad Singh

doi:10.56093/ijans.v96i1.170042

Authors

Ashwani Kumar Singh Professor cum Head, Department of Veterinary Gynaecology & Obstetrics, COVS, GADVASU, Ludhiana - 141 004
Pardeep Singh MVSc Scholar, Department of Veterinary Gynaecology & Obstetrics, COVS, GADVASU, Ludhiana - 141 004
Pooja Devi Assistant Professor, Department of Veterinary Physiology and Biochemistry, COVS, GADVASU, Ludhiana - 141 004
Ajeet Kumar Professor, Department of Teaching Veterinary Clinical Complex, COVS, GADVASU, Ludhiana - 141 004
Narinder Singh Principal Scientist, Directorate of Livestock Farms, COVS, GADVASU, Ludhiana - 141 004
Navdeep Singh Ratta Scientist, Directorate of Livestock Farms, COVS, GADVASU, Ludhiana - 141 004
Prahlad Singh Professor, Department of Teaching Veterinary Clinical Complex, COVS, GADVASU, Ludhiana - 141 004

https://doi.org/10.56093/ijans.v96i1.170042

Keywords:

Buffalo bull semen, Cryopreservation, FSCR, Melatonin, Lipid peroxidation, Sperm attributes

Abstract

The present study was designed to evaluate melatonin supplementation (0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 1.0 mM) on the freezability of buffalo bull spermatozoa. Thirty-six ejaculates were collected from six clinically healthy bulls using an artificial vagina. Only ejaculates with ≥70% progressive motility, ≤20% morphological defects, and a minimum sperm concentration of 500 million/mL were selected for further analysis. Each sample was diluted using a Tris–egg yolk-based cryodiluent, enriched with the assigned melatonin concentration, and cryopreserved using standard procedures. Post-thaw evaluations, conducted via Computer-Assisted Semen Analysis (CASA), revealed that the 0.25 mM melatonin group exhibited a significant enhancement (P<0.05) in both total and progressive motility compared to the other groups. While sperm viability and acrosome integrity did not differ significantly (P>0.05) between the 0.25 mM and 0.50 mM melatonin groups, the 0.25 mM treatment showed superior results (P<0.05) when compared with the control and higher concentration treatments. Oxidative stress, assessed through MDA levels as an indicator of lipid peroxidation, was significantly lower (P<0.05) in the 0.25 mM and 0.50 mM melatonin groups. No significant differences (P>0.05) were observed in plasma membrane integrity across the treatments. In the fertility trial, 60 buffaloes were inseminated, with 30 animals each assigned to the control and 0.25 mM melatonin groups. Although the first service conception rate (FSCR) was higher in the melatonin group (46.7%) than in the control group (33.3%), the difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05). Overall, the addition of 0.25 mM melatonin to the cryopreservation medium significantly improved sperm motility, viability, acrosome integrity, and oxidative stability post-thaw, and indicated a favorable, though not statistically significant, impact on fertility outcomes in Murrah buffalo bulls.

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Author Biographies

Ashwani Kumar Singh, Professor cum Head, Department of Veterinary Gynaecology & Obstetrics, COVS, GADVASU, Ludhiana - 141 004

Professor cum Head, Department of Veterinary Gynaecology & Obstetrics, COVS, GADVASU, Ludhiana - 141 004
Pardeep Singh, MVSc Scholar, Department of Veterinary Gynaecology & Obstetrics, COVS, GADVASU, Ludhiana - 141 004

MVSc Scholar, Department of Veterinary Gynaecology & Obstetrics, COVS, GADVASU, Ludhiana - 141 004
Pooja Devi, Assistant Professor, Department of Veterinary Physiology and Biochemistry, COVS, GADVASU, Ludhiana - 141 004

Assistant Professor, Department of Veterinary Physiology and Biochemistry, COVS, GADVASU, Ludhiana - 141 004
Ajeet Kumar, Professor, Department of Teaching Veterinary Clinical Complex, COVS, GADVASU, Ludhiana - 141 004

Professor, Department of Teaching Veterinary Clinical Complex, COVS, GADVASU, Ludhiana - 141 004
Narinder Singh, Principal Scientist, Directorate of Livestock Farms, COVS, GADVASU, Ludhiana - 141 004

Principal Scientist, Directorate of Livestock Farms, COVS, GADVASU, Ludhiana - 141 004
Navdeep Singh Ratta, Scientist, Directorate of Livestock Farms, COVS, GADVASU, Ludhiana - 141 004

Scientist, Directorate of Livestock Farms, COVS, GADVASU, Ludhiana - 141 004
Prahlad Singh, Professor, Department of Teaching Veterinary Clinical Complex, COVS, GADVASU, Ludhiana - 141 004

Professor, Department of Teaching Veterinary Clinical Complex, COVS, GADVASU, Ludhiana - 141 004

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