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ABSTRACT. We observed the influences of low-temperature storage of the feline epididymis on the epididymal semen qualities before and after cryopreservation to identify the optimal duration for low-temperature storage of the epididymis. After excision, the feline epididymis was stored at 4  C for 0-72 hr and then subjected to epididymal sperm collection. When sperm from the refrigerated cauda epididymis were frozen and thawed, there was no significant difference in sperm motility between the 0-and 24-hr low-temperature storage groups, but sperm motility was significantly decreased in the 48-hr storage group. The above findings suggested that low-temperature storage of the epididymis until 24 hr is useful for frozen sperm collected from the feline cauda epididymis.KEY WORDS: cryopreservation, epididymal sperm, feline, refrigeration.J. Vet. Med. Sci. 72(6): 777-780, 2010 The total number of animals worldwide has decreased in many wildcat species, and various assisted reproductive technologies (ART) are necessary to maintain and increase their numbers. Many studies on ART for endangered feline species are underway using domestic cats as a model [1][2][3][4][5][10][11][12][13][14][15].In a previous study, we collected feline sperm from the cauda epididymis immediately after excision and performed intrauterine insemination of frozen semen (5  10 6 ) [14]. The mean sperm motility following freeze-thawing was 24.0  4.0% (SE), and the conception rate was only 27.3% (3/11). Two female cats delivered five and one kittens, respectively, and another one aborted on 30 days of gestation. This was our initial success rate achieved using epididymal frozen semen in cats. Our previous study is also the only one to report successful conception cases achieved using frozen feline epididymal semen thus far.The duration and temperature of storage before collection of sperm after excision of the epididymis have marked influences on semen qualities in various animal species [6][7][8][9]. In cats, Hay and Goodrowe [5] reported that semen qualities did not differ between sperm collected from the cauda epididymis immediately after excision and after 24-hr storage at 5C. Furthermore, Chatdarong et al. [3] compared the quality of caudal epididymal semen collect from the epididymis after storage for 2 and 4 days at 4C and reported that the sperm motility after storage for 2 days is significantly higher than that after storage for 4 days. Filliers et al. [4] observed that the qualities of semen from the feline epididymis stored in sterile physiological saline for 24 hr at 5C were good. However, Chatdarong et al. [3] and Filliers et al. [4] did not observe the semen quality immediately after excision. Tittarelli et al. [13] also stored the feline epididymis in sterile physiological saline or egg yolk-Tris for 24, 48 and 72 hr and observed the semen qualities. Sperm motility was apparently decreased at all storage time points, and egg yolk-Tris was suggested to be superior as a storage medium compared with physiological saline. Howev...

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