Evaluation of Adding Prickly Pear Extracts to the Diluted Ram’s Semen at Preservation

Abstract

It is known that ram's sperms are sensitive to oxidative stress during cooling storage. The purpose of this study was the evaluation of adding an aqueous prickly pear extract (PPE) in ram semen on sperm parameters during cooling storage. Three levels of PPE were added to the diluted ram semen (PPE1=5mg +Tris extender, PPE2=10 mg +Tris extender, and PPE3=30 mg +Tris extender), and compared with control group (Tris extender without addition of PPE). Motility of sperm, hypo osmotic swelling test (HOS-Test), and dead sperm percentage were assessed after 2 and 48 hour at preservation. The PPE2 group exhibited the significantly (p≤0.05) enhanced sperm motility at 2 and 48 hour of cooling. A non-significant (p>0.05) increase in HOS-test percentage for all groups after 2 hours of cooling was observed. The PPE1 and PPE3 groups recorded the lowest percentage of HOS-test after 48 hours, however, groups PPE2 and the control recorded the significant (p≤0.05) excess in this characteristic. The sperm dead percentage were reduced by adding 10 mg of prickly pear extract (PPE2) in comparison with other groups at 2 hours post-cooling. The aqueous prickly pear extract has the potential to be used as an additive in ram semen to improve sperm motility, plasma membrane integrity, and dead sperm percentage at cooling preservation.