B. S. Iolchiev, N. A. Volkova, P. M. Klenovitsky, V. A. Bagirov
Federal Scientific Center of Animal Husbandry –Ernst All-Russian Research Institute of Animal Husbandry, pos. Dubrovitsy, 60, Podol’skii r-n, Moskovskaya obl., 142132, Russian Federation
Abstract. Not all high-value breeding animals produce semen of the required quality; therefore, to use them more efficiently, it is necessary to prepare sperm. The purpose of the study was to determine the possibility of using the flotation method (swim-up) to improve the sperm quality of high-value stud rams. The work was performed in 2018–2019. The object of the study were animals (n = 5) of different genotypes: a hybrid (n = 1) of the first generation (1/2 argali, 1/2 Romanovskaya breed), hybrids (n = 2) of the second generation (1/4 argali, 3/4 Romanovskaya breed), and purebred Romanov rams (n = 2). The age of the animals was 4–8 years. Materials for the study were freshly obtained, frozen-thawed sperm samples, as well as samples after the swim-up procedure. Sperm motility was evaluated using CASA technology (computer-assisted semen analysis). Acrosome integrity was determined by differential staining with a Diff-Quick kit; the degree of spermatozoid DNA fragmentation was determined using an acridine-orange test. A cycle of freezing and thawing of sperm led to an increase in the proportion of motionless spermatozoids from 7% to 46% and spermatozoids with non-progressive movement – from 6.0% to 12.5%. The number of cells with abnormal morphology doubled; the DNA fragmentation index increased from 12% to 18%. The swim-up procedure allowed isolating progressively motile spermatozoa. Their content in the samples obtained from the supernatant was 5.7% higher compared to freshly obtained sperm and 224% higher compared to frozen-thawed spermatozoa. In the samples after the swim-up procedure, the percentage of sperm cells with abnormal morphology was significantly reduced – 2.12 times (from 8.5 to 4.0%) compared to freshly obtained semen and 4.45 times (from 17.8% to 4.0%) compared to the frozen-thawed semen.
Keywords: acrosome; spermatozoa activity; DNA spermatozoa; spermatozoa; flotation; swim-up.
Author Details: B. S. Iolchiev, D. Sc. (Biol.), leading research fellow (e-mail: Этот адрес электронной почты защищён от спам-ботов. У вас должен быть включен JavaScript для просмотра.); N. A. Volkova, D. Sc. (Biol.), head of laboratory; P. M. Klenovitsky, D. Sc. (Biol.), leading research fellow; V. A. Bagirov, D. Sc. (Biol.), corresponding member of the RAS.
For citation: Iolchiev BS, Volkova NA, Klenovitsky PM, et al. Increasing fertility of stud rams using the achievements of biotechnology. Dostizheniya nauki i tekhniki APK. 2020;34(2):48-52.Russian. doi: 10.24411/0235-2451-2020-10210.