Novel Method for Assessing Boar Sperm Quality

Several studies have been published where sperm plasma membrane integrity correlated to fertility. In this study published in Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica, Sutkeviciene of the Lithuanian Veterinary Academy and co-authors describe a simple fluorometer-based assay. This they used to monitor the fluorescence intensity of artificially membrane-ruptured spermatozoa with a fixed time staining with fluorescent DNA dyes.

Methods

Membrane-impermeable fluorescent dyes Hoechst 33258 ( H258) and Propidium iodide (PI) were used to measure the fluorescence of the nucleus in artificially membrane-ruptured spermatozoa, and membrane-permeable dye Hoechst 33342 (H342) was used to measure fluorescence of intact spermatozoa.

The concentration of spermatozoa in insemination doses varied from 31.2 × 10⁶ to 50 × 10⁶ per ml and the average value was 35 × 10⁶ per ml.

Each boar was represented by three consecutive ejaculates, collected at weekly intervals. Non-return rate within 60 days of first insemination (NR %) and litter size (total number of piglets born) of multiparous farrowings were used as fertility measures.

Results

Sperm fluorescence intensity of H258 and H342, but not the fluorescence intensity of PI-stained spermatozoa correlated significantly with the litter size of multiparous farrowings, values being r=-0.68 (P<0.01) for H258, r=-0.69 (P<0.01) for H342 and r=-0.38, (P=0.11) for PI.

Conclusions

The increase in fluorescence values of membrane-ruptured H258 and unruptured H342-stained spermatozoa in boar AI doses can be associated with smaller litter size after AI.

This finding indicates that the fluorescence properties of the sperm nucleus could be used to select for AI doses with greater fertilising potential, say Sutkeviciene and co-authors.

Reference

Sutkeviciene N., V. Riskeviciene, A. Januskauskas, H. Zilinskas and M. Andersson. 2009. Assessment of sperm quality traits in relation to fertility in boar semen. Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica, 51:53 doi:10.1186/1751-0147-51-53

Further Reading

-

You can view the full report (as a provisional PDF version) by clicking here.

ThePigSite News Desk

Sign up for our
regular news updates

Related news items:

•    Breeding Success and Maximising Returns
•    EU Sets New MRL for Altrenogest
•    Project on Gender–Sorted Semen Ended
•    From the Wallingford Pig Study Group to PIC
•    HSUS to Question Tyson on Sow Stalls

Related News Categories: Breeding and Reproduction, Artificial Insemination

Sign up for our
regular news updates

More of the latest Pig Industry News

•   CME: Changes for Beef, Pork & Poultry Supplies
•   Third TOPIGS Import into China in Three Months
•   Action Taken to Ramp Up Abattoir Inspections
•   FAO Food Price Index Rebounds in January
•   OleoServ Takes over Harles & Jentzsch Assets
•   US Pork Export Forecast is Unchanged
•   Public Resistance Ousts GM Crops From EU
•   Nutreco Achieves Excellent Progress in 2011
•   Animal Welfare: The Right Thing to Do
•   New Zealand Pork Seeks New CEO