The Effects of Frequent Electroejaculation on the Semen Characteristics of a Captive Siberian Tiger (<i>Panthera tigris altaica</i>)

Abstract

Artificial insemination (AI) can help to avoid inbreeding and genetic degeneration for sustaining genetically healthy populations of endangered species in captivity. Collection of a sufficient quantity of viable sperm is an essential first step in the AI process. In the present study, we examined the effects of frequent electroejaculation on semen characteristics in a Siberian tiger. We collected semen in all 17 trials during 6 breeding seasons (6 years). The mean number of sperm and the percentage of motile sperm were 294.3 ± 250.2×106/ejaculate and 82.4 ± 11.4%, respectively. The number of motile sperm tended to increase during frequent electroejaculation in the same breeding season. Semen collection by electroejaculation can be performed effectively up to the fourth sequential ejaculate, which contained the most sperm in the study. In conclusion, frequent collection of sperm by electroejaculation from tigers may be effective for collection of a large number of motile sperm.

The Comparison of Semen Collection in Electroejaculation, Rectal Massage and Combination of Both Methods in the Critically Endangered Malayan Pangolin, Manis javanica

“…Although electorejaculator usage was consistent in yielding semen in pangolins, the methods are known to carry the risk of urine contamination in other mammals [51,52]. Urine contamination can also be reflective in the increased volume of ejaculates due to urine contamination, the decreased pH and motility of the spermatozoa [53], the occurrence of zero spermatozoa motility as well as the pH reduction in the two samples derived in our case. The higher live spermatozoa count in urine-contaminated samples compared with urine-free samples suggests that the initial quality of semen collected from urine-contaminated samples could potentially be better.…”

Biotécnicas Reprodutivas: Captura, Exame Andrológico, Conservação Do Ejaculado E Inseminação Artificial Em Canídeos E Felídeos Selvagens Ou Silvestres Em Risco De Extinção

“…2021; v28: 001-009. estavam há longo período em repouso sexual, como melhora na qualidade seminal a partir da segunda coleta, estímulo da espermatogênese além de promover a renovação espermática. Fukui et al (12) relatam em um tigre siberiano o aumento do número de espermatozóides móveis após a eletroejaculação.…”

Semen collection by urethral catheterization and electro-ejaculation with different voltages, and the effect of holding temperature and cooling rate before cryopreservation on semen quality in the Japanese macaque (<i>Macaca fuscata</i>)

“…In a previous report [ 26 , 46 ] the voltage applied in the Japanese macaque for EE (5–20 V) was higher than in other species including the genus Macaca (2–8 V): the howler monkey ( Alouatta caraya ) [ 4 , 48 ], the stump-tailed macaque ( Macaca arctoides ) [ 11 ], the Goeldi’s monkey ( Callimico goeldii ) [ 2 ], the brown bear ( Ursus arctos ) [ 13 ], and the Siberian tiger ( Panthera tigris altaica ) [ 8 ]. EE using a rectal probe can cause pain and heat injury [ 16 ] and higher voltages increase the pain [ 9 ].…”