Sperm Production and Sperm Morphology of Swedish Warmblood Stallions

Abstract

The present study investigated daily sperm output and sperm morphology of fresh semen in eight Swedish Warmblood stallions aged 5-8 years. They were used for artificial insemination, and their fertility during the breeding season of semen collection exceeded 60% per cycle. One ejaculate of semen was collected daily for 10 consecutive days from each stallion. The gel-free volume was measured, and the sperm concentration was assessed with a Bürker chamber. The volume of gel-free fraction was multiplied by the sperm concentration to give the total number of spermatozoa (TSN). Sperm morphology was examined in ejaculates collected on days 2, 5 and 10. An aliquot from each ejaculate was fixed in 1 ml formol-saline immediately after collection and examined under a phase-contrast microscope (magnification 1000x) to assess morphological abnormalities. Furthermore smears were prepared and stained according to Williams (carbolfuchsin-eosin) for a more detailed examination of the sperm heads under a light microscope (magnification 1000x). Analysis of variance was applied to data. Total spermatozoa number decreased progressively during the first 8 days of collection, and daily sperm output (DSO) was calculated as mean TSN of collections on days 8-10, being 6.4 x 10(9) spermatozoa. The overall percentages of morphologically normal spermatozoa in ejaculates collected on days 2, 5 and 10 were above 70%, being significantly lower in ejaculate 2 (68.6%) compared with ejaculates 5 and 10 (72.9% respectively 75.3%).

Evaluation of morphological criteria of sperm quality before in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection

“…Many authors using different staining methods describe various morphologic abnormalities of sperm in bulls (Revay et al 2009, Freneau et al 2010, Mandal et al 2010, Enciso et al 2011, stallions (Kavak et al 2004, Morrell et al 2008, Einarsson et al 2009, Brito et al 2011, Love 2011, rams (Lambrechts et al 2000, Janett et al 2001, Sweeney et al 2007, Lopez Armengol et al 2012) and dogs (Kawakami et al 2005, Nxñ ez-Martinez et al 2005, Peñ a et al 2007, Lange-Consiglio et al 2010). But we did not find concrete references what is the morphologically normal sperm cell in domestic animals.…”

Effect of Feeding Fescue Seed Containing Ergot Alkaloid Toxins on Stallion Spermatogenesis and Sperm Cells

“…1991; Johnson et al. 1991, 1997; Hurtgen 1992; Rodriguez‐Martinez 1992; Roser 2001, 2008; Einarsson et al. 2009) requires 62 days for the testicular phase and then 13 days for the epididymal phase.…”

“…1979; Cormier and Bailey 2003; Abad et al. 2007a,b; Einarsson et al. 2009) induces a series of complex biochemical changes in the plasma and outer acrosomal membranes of the cryopreserved sperm cell.…”

“…Spermatogenesis in the stallion (Gebauer et al 1974;Swierstra et al 1975;Amann et al 1979;Thompson et al 1979;Freidman et al 1991;Johnson et al 1991Johnson et al , 1997Hurtgen 1992;Rodriguez-Martinez 1992;Roser 2001Roser , 2008Einarsson et al 2009) requires 62 days for the testicular phase and then 13 days for the epididymal phase. This provides a spermatogenic cycle for sperm production of 75 days.…”

“…Cryocapacitation Cormier and Bailey 2003;Abad et al 2007a,b;Einarsson et al 2009) induces a series of complex biochemical changes in the plasma and outer acrosomal membranes of the cryopreserved sperm cell. A range of cryocapacitational states predispose the sperm cells to a premature inducible acrosome reaction (AR).…”