Effect of egg yolk levels on keeping quality of Marwari buck semen at refrigeration temperature

Abstract

Ejaculates (6) from adult Marwari bucks maintained at CIRG Makhdoom under semi intensive management system during October to November 2007 were utilized for the present study to find out the viability and motility of buck semen at different levels of egg yolk during different hours of preservation at refrigeration temperature. The ejaculates were collected at weekly intervals using artificial vagina and were extended at the rate of 1:10 with tris-citric acid-fructose (TCF) diluents having 2.5%, 5% and 7.5% and 10% egg yolk by volume and preserved up to 72 h in refrigerator.  Analysis of data revealed that sperm motility differed significantly at different levels of egg yolk up to 72 h of preservation. The mean sperm motility recorded at 0,24,48,72 h of preservation in 7.5% egg yolk level were 85.00±1.29, 63.33±1.05, 50.00±1.82 and 44.17±1.54%, Respectively, with the overall motility of 60.62±3.34%. The corresponding figures in 10% egg yolk were 85.00±1.29, 69.17±1.54, 61.67±1.67, 55.00±2.24 and 67.71±2.46%. Neither egg yolk levels nor the storage periods had any significant effect on sperm viability. The live sperm count were 89.00±1.53, 86.17±2.75, 84.67±1.87 and 83.17±1.01% at 0, 24, 48, 72 h of preservation in 10% egg yolk level at refrigeration temperature. The percentage of sperm motility was more than 50% in 10% egg yolk level even at 72 h of preservation. Overview of the results in the present study indicated that Marwari buck semen extended in the diluents having 10% egg yolk levels could be stored up to 72 h at refrigeration temperature for further use as liquid semen for Artificial Insemination.