Freezability of Dog Semen after Collection in Field Conditions and Cooled Transport

Abstract

Dog semen freezing is gaining popularity, but it has to be performed in equipped facilities, which can be far from the place where the stud dog lives. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether freezing dog semen after 24 or 48 h of cooled transport to an equipped laboratory was possible when semen collection was performed in the field such as in local breeding kennels. Single ejaculates from different dogs (mixed breeds and ages) were collected. In Experiment I, 10 ejaculates were conventionally frozen using the Uppsala method or frozen after 24 or 48 h of storage in a Styrofoam transport box cooled by icepacks. In Experiment II, 10 ejaculates were used to assess the influence of two extenders (Uppsala chilling extender or freezing extender 1) used for semen dilution during the 24 or 48 h storage. Motility, morphology, membrane, and acrosome integrity were analyzed as well as spermatozoa zona-binding ability. No significant differences were observed among the frozen groups, regardless of freezing time (Experiment I) or extender (Experiment II). Motility at thawing, however, decreased in absolute value at 48 h. Freezing of freshly collected semen is the gold standard, but the results obtained in this study prompt the application of freezing after cooled transport for the long-term preservation of dog semen, especially if the transport can be organized in 24 h.

Efficiency of C-type natriuretic peptide on improvement of Iraqi local ram’s epididymal sperms

“…For years, semen cryopreservation that comprises different cooling and freezing steps has been a valuable procedure for the application of reproductive technologies such as artificial insemination, in vitro embryo production, and embryo transfer since it eliminates the limitations of time and space ( Dias et al ., 2018 ). In Iraq, the field studies have focused on the significant influence of the quality of thawed semen of bulls with a consequence of variable success rates ( Al-Daraji et al ., 2002 ; AL-Badry, 2016 ; Hussain et al ., 2016 ; Saleh, 2019 ; Alhelal and Abdulkareem, 2023 ); whereas globally, the effect of storage or cooling rates on fertility of semen suspension was studied in different domestic and wild animals such as buck ( Ahmad et al ., 2015 ), stallion ( Cuervo-Arango et al ., 2015 ), cattle ( Dias et al ., 2018 ), donkey ( Zhang et al ., 2018 ), llama ( Zampini et al ., 2020 ), and dog ( Colombo et al ., 2022 ).…”

Short‐term preservation of canine sperm‐binding ability and other metrics using the INRA‐96 in comparison to Tris‐egg yolk extender

“…As expected, both treatments displayed the same pattern of decline in these parameters during refrigeration. In fact, cold preservation induces changes in the phospholipid bilayer of the cell membrane, which is often damaged during this process (Colombo et al, 2022). Nevertheless, the obtained results remained above 70%, demonstrating the effectiveness of INRA‐96 in protecting sperm membranes from cold injury.…”

“…These findings are encouraging and have significant practical implications, as they present promising prospects for the use of this diluent during the transport of canine semen. This is advantageous for both assisted reproduction programmes and the exchange of genetic material between breeders and research institutions (Colombo et al, 2022). We emphasize, however, that 48 h is a very short time to investigate all the functional effects of the INRA-96 extender on the canine sperm cell.…”

“…There is a growing awareness of the need to enlarge the gene pool in order to preserve the health of canine breeds (Suzuki et al, 2022), as domestication and the formation of modern breeds have unintentionally reduced genetic variance and increased the number of deleterious variants (Bannasch et al, 2021). In order to prevent inbreeding depression, the use of chilled semen has become progressively frequent and has attracted interest in veterinary medicine, thereby facilitating the exchange of genetic material between and within countries (Colombo et al, 2022). Chilling protocols ensure the maintenance of sperm fertilizing capacity for a short period, achieving artificial insemination (AI) with success rates of 83.8% (Linde-Forsberg, 1991).…”

“…Chilling protocols ensure the maintenance of sperm fertilizing capacity for a short period, achieving artificial insemination (AI) with success rates of 83.8% (Linde-Forsberg, 1991). In addition, sending chilled semen arises as a cost-effective and less stressful alternative to the national and international transport of dogs, thereby becoming an essential mechanism for the evolution of breeding (Colombo et al, 2022).…”