Critical sources of bacterial contamination and adoption of standard sanitary protocol during semen collection and processing in Semen Station

Abstract

Aim:The present investigation was conducted to locate the critical sources of bacterial contamination and to evaluate the standard sanitation protocol so as to improve the hygienic conditions during collection, evaluation, and processing of bull semen in the Semen Station.Materials and Methods:The study compared two different hygienic procedures during the collection, evaluation and processing of semen in Central Semen Station, Anjora, Durg. Routinely used materials including artificial vagina (AV) inner liner, cone, semen collection tube, buffer, extender/diluter, straws; and the laboratory environment like processing lab, pass box and laminar air flow (LAF) cabinet of extender preparation lab, processing lab, sealing filling machine, and bacteriological lab were subjected to bacteriological examination in two phases of study using two different sanitary protocols. Bacterial load in above items/environment was measured using standard plate count method and expressed as colony forming unit (CFU).Results:Bacterial load in a laboratory environment and AV equipments during two different sanitary protocol in present investigation differed highly significantly (p<0.001). Potential sources of bacterial contamination during semen collection and processing included laboratory environment like processing lab, pass box, and LAF cabinets; AV equipments, including AV Liner and cone. Bacterial load was reduced highly significantly (p<0.001) in AV liner (from 2.33±0.67 to 0.50±0.52), cone (from 4.16±1.20 to 1.91±0.55), and extender (from 1.33±0.38 to 0) after application of improved practices of packaging, handling, and sterilization in Phase II of study. Glasswares, buffers, and straws showed nil bacterial contamination in both the phases of study. With slight modification in fumigation protocol (formalin @600 ml/1000 ft3), bacterial load was significantly decreased (p<0.001) up to 0-6 CFU in processing lab (from 6.43±1.34 to 2.86±0.59), pass box (from 12.13±2.53 to 3.78±0.79), and nil bacterial load was reported in LAFs.Conclusion:Appropriate and careful management considering critical points step by step starting right from collection of semen to their processing can significantly minimize bacterial contamination.

Bacteriospermia and Sperm Quality of Cryopreserved Bull Semen Used in Artificial Insemination of Cows in South Wollo Zone, Ethiopia

“…Biotic [48,49]. e potential abiotic contaminants could come from laboratory environments such as semen collection, transporting and processing equipment, processing laboratory, glassware, buffers, extender, and straws [50]. Other contaminants are related to semen diluents like egg yolk [14,51], resistant to antibiotics [52], and low efficacy of antimicrobials used in the extender [16,[53][54][55].…”

“…Other contaminants are related to semen diluents like egg yolk [14,51], resistant to antibiotics [52], and low efficacy of antimicrobials used in the extender [16,[53][54][55]. Nevertheless, bacterial load can be reduced considerably by applying hygienic practices of packaging, handling, sterilization and fumigation protocol [48,50], and preputial washing [56].…”

Insights into pH regulatory mechanisms in mediating spermatozoa functions

“…Microbial contamination results in a reduction in the pH of the diluents as well as this pH affect the overall quality of sperm cells. Studies have a shown significant reduction in sperm motility and viability in acidic pH during microbial contamination [ 48 ]. Due to low pH, the post-thaw quality of spermatozoa also gets reduced and resulted in poor or compromised conception rates [ 49 , 50 ].…”

Effects of Extender Type, Storage Time, and Temperature on Bull Semen Parameters

“…Semen collected at Semen Stations inevitably contains ambient microorganisms, up to 2.36 × 104 ± 1943 CFU/mL in fresh semen [57] and 1.00 × 10 ± 90 CFU/mL in frozen semen after thawing [58]. Other authors found 103-106 CFU/mL in five bulls analysed after collection at an insemination centre [59] and 50.38 ± 16.29 CFU/mL in thawed cryopreserved bull semen collected under field conditions [60].…”