Effect of Processing of Semen on Capacitation Time of Fresh and Frozen-Thawed Boar Spermatozoa

Abstract

Ovulation time of gilts was controlled by oral treatment with altrenogest (17-allyl-hydroxyestra-4,9,11-trien-3-one) followed by gonadotropic hormone injections. Gilts were laparotomized 42 to 44 h after injection of human chorionic gonadotropin. Spermatozoa were surgically placed into ligated oviducts of gilts after one of the following semen treatments: frozen and thawed in Beltsville thawing solution (F-BTS) or in seminal plasma (F-SP); unfrozen, processed like the frozen semen, but not cooled, frozen or thawed, and extended in Beltsville thawing solution (U-BTS) or in seminal plasma (U-SP). Ova were recovered 5 or 24 h after insemination and their stage of development was determined. At 5 h, F-BTS and U-BTS spermatozoa had fertilized significantly more ova (45 and 69%, respectively) than the F-SP and U-SP spermatozoa (5 and 34%, respectively). Ova fertilized by F-BTS and U-BTS spermatozoa had reached a more advanced stage of development than ova fertilized by F-SP and U-SP spermatozoa at both recovery times. Unfrozen spermatozoa (U-BTS or U-SP) fertilized more ova by 5 h after tubal deposition than F-BTS or F-SP spermatozoa (P less than .005 for each comparison). By 24 h, the percentage of fertilized ova was similar for all treatments. The results indicate that semen processing reduced capacitation time of boar spermatozoa to an extent similar to passage through the uterus. The capacitation time of frozen-thawed spermatozoa appeared to be similar to spermatozoa that were processed, but not cooled, frozen or thawed.

Pork Production Systems

“…When conditions are favorable, the rate of conception with artificial insemination is equal to that obtained by natural service (Self 1959;Hancock 1960). The development of extenders and of thawing procedures for frozen semen (Pursel 1983) allows storage of semen over longer periods of time and will encourage the use of outstanding sires on a commercial basis in artificial insemination. The optimum time for insemination offresh, whole semen is 12-16 hours before ovulation (Dziuk 1970); in contrast, maximum fertility with frozen-thawed spermatozoa is obtained when pigs are inseminated at about the time of ovulation (Pursel 1980).…”

PERIOVULATORY INSEMINATION WITH FRESH OR FROZEN SEMEN ON EMBRYO VIABILITY and EARLY PREGNANCY RATE IN GILTS

“…AI before ovulation resulted in a higher percentage of total embryo viability compared to AI after ovulation (P = 0.041). These results can be attributed to different capaciation times of frozedthawed and fiesh semen (Pursel, 1983). Extended capaciation time of fiesh semen probably resulted in ageing of the oocytes.…”

Capacidad fertilizante in vitro del semen porcino descongelado

“…Se ha reportado que en cerdos, una población de espermatozoides capacitados comienzan a estar disponibles para la fertilización 2 a 3 horas después de la monta natural o inseminación artificial con semen fresco (Hunter, 1972;Pursel, 1983) . Sin embargo, a pesar de que se han generado numerosas investigaciones sobre la capacitación espermdtica, se cuenta con poca información relacionada con los efectos del congelamiento sobre el tiempo de capacitación del espermatozoide porcino (Fursel, 1983;Crabo, 1985;Buhr, 1991.…”