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The objective of the present study was to determine the effects of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)-enriched hen egg yolks and L-cysteine supplementation on the qualities of the cryopreserved boar semen. A total of 15 ejaculates from 5 Pietrain boars were divided into 4 groups according to the compositions of the freezing extenders used, that is, normal hen egg yolk (group I), DHA-enriched hen egg yolk (group II), normal hen egg yolk with 5 mmol L(-1) of cysteine supplementation (group III) and DHA-enriched hen egg yolk with 5 mmol L(-1) of cysteine supplementation (group IV). The semen was cryopreserved using controlled rate freezer and was thawed at 50 degrees C for 12 s. Progressive motility, sperm viability, acrosome integrity and functional integrity of sperm plasma membrane of the post-thawed semen were evaluated. The supplementation of L-cysteine in the freezing extender alone (group III) improved progressive motility (P < 0.05), and the supplementation of L-cysteine in combination with DHA-enriched hen egg yolk (group IV) improved both progressive motility (P < 0.05) and acrosome integrity (P < 0.01). The use of DHA-enriched hen egg yolk alone (group II) did not enhance any of the post-thawed semen qualities (P > 0.05). In conclusion, the supplementation of antioxidant L-cysteine alone or in combination with DHA-enriched hen egg yolk significantly improved the post-thawed semen qualities, especially progressive motility and acrosome integrity.

The purpose of the present study was to compare the number of spermatozoa obtained from different parts of the oviducts and the uterine horns of sows after intrauterine insemination (IUI) and conventional artificial insemination (AI), 24 h after insemination. Twelve crossbred (Landrace x Yorkshire) multiparous sows were used in the experiment. The sows were examined for standing oestrus using a back pressure test and were examined every 4 h after standing oestrus by real-time B-mode ultrasonography to estimate the time of ovulation. The sows were allocated to two groups, group I sows (n = 6) were inseminated by a conventional AI technique with 3 x 10(9) motile spermatozoa in 100 ml of extended semen, and group II sows (n = 6) were inseminated by an IUI technique using 1 x 10(9) motile spermatozoa in 50 ml of extended semen. A single dose of AI or IUI was given using the same boar, 8-10 h before the expected time of ovulation during the second oestrus after weaning. Twenty four hours after insemination, the sows were ovario-hysterectomized. The oviducts and the uterine horns were removed and divided into seven parts, the cranial, middle and caudal uterine horns, the utero-tubal junction (UTJ), the cranial and caudal isthmus, and the ampulla. All parts of the reproductive tract were flushed and the spermatozoa were counted using a haemocytometer. The results revealed that the spermatozoa were found in both the oviducts and the uterine horns in all animals. The number of flushed spermatozoa in the UTJ of groups I and II, was 142,500 and 131,167 (p > 0.05), and in the caudal isthmus was 1411 and 1280 (p > 0.05), respectively. The proportion of spermatozoa in different parts of the reproductive tract in relation to the total number of spermatozoa within the tract was not significantly different between groups I and II (p > 0.05). It could be concluded that IUI, with a three-time reduction in the number of spermatozoa used resulted in the same number of spermatozoa to be deposited in the sperm reservoir around ovulation time.