Effect of long-term storage in Safe Cell+ extender on boar sperm DNA integrity and other key sperm parameters

Abstract Background There is some controversy about the extent of changes in different sperm cell features in stored boar semen, especially regarding the potential role of the DNA fragmentation assay for assessment of sperm fertilizing ability. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of time of storage and the dynamic changes in sperm cell characteristics in normospermic boar semen stored in long-term extender, in order to determine the susceptibility to damage of particular structures of spermatozoa during cooling and storage at 17 °C for 240 h post collection. The study included five ejaculates from each of seven boars of the Polish Large White breed (n = 35 ejaculates). The sperm characteristics were assessed using a flow cytometer and a computer assisted sperm analyzer on samples at 0, 48, 96, 168 and 240 h post collection. Results The sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA) showed a significant abrupt increase (P < 0.01) in the DNA fragmentation index (%DFI) after 48 h of semen storage with only subtle changes thereafter, not exceeding 5% on average after 240 h of storage. The use of a combination of SYBR-14/PI stains did not reveal any significant changes in the percentage of live sperm cells up to 168 h of semen storage. A significant (P < 0.01) decrease in the percentage of live spermatozoa with intact acrosomes was observed after prolonged semen storage (168 h). A significant and progressive decrease in sperm motility was recorded during the whole period of semen storage. Conclusions Storage of boar semen extended in long-term diluent at 17 °C for 48 h initially induced a decrease in the integrity of sperm DNA. This suggests that the structure of boar sperm DNA is susceptible to damage, especially during semen extension and at the beginning of sperm storage. These findings support the opinion that the SCSA test has only a low potential for routine assessment of boar semen preserved in the liquid state and for assessment of sperm quality changes during 10 days of semen preservation. Remarkably, the integrity of acrosomes and plasma membranes remained nearly unchanged for 7 days

Relationships between Selected Physiological Factors and Milking Parameters for Cows Using a Milking Robot

The aim of the study was to determine the effect of the number and stage of lactations, time of day and calving season of cows on milk yield from a single milking, average milking time, average milking per minute, daily milking frequency and the relationship between the tested parameters of quarter milking. The study included a herd of 65 Polish Holstein Friesian black and white cows used in a free-range barn located in south-west Poland. The animals were kept in proper welfare conditions, fed using the partly mixed ration (PMR) method on the feeding table. The milk was obtained using the Lely-Astronaut A4 Automatic Milking System (AMS). The animals on the dairy cattle farm were used in the range from the first to the seventh lactation, i.e., at the age of 2.0 to approximately 10 years. In this study, the amount of milk yielded from the hind quarters was statistically significantly higher (p &lt; 0.05) than the trait determined for the front quarters. At the same time, the milk flow rate was statistically significantly higher (p &lt; 0.05) in the front quarters compared to the rear quarters. The daily milk yield in right rear (RR) and left rear (LR) hind quarters was higher by 1.0 kg of milk, respectively, than in right front (RF) and left front (LF) fore quarters. The milking time of the RR and LR hind quarters during the day was longer by 104.9 and 128.8 s, respectively, than the RF and LF fore quarters. The milking speed of the RR and LR hind quarters during the day was lower by 0.2 and 1.12 g/s, respectively, than in the RF and LF fore quarters. The values of the correlation between the yields of milk and its components obtained in this study were high and positive. Correlations between the milk yield and the content of its components were negative. The obtained results confirmed that the natural physiological variability of the udder and teats structure, as well as the course of lactation, significantly affects the individual composition and milk flow during milking. The ability to regulate the milk flow by adjusting the appropriate negative pressure during the robot&rsquo;s operation, in the observed variability of individual lobes of the mammary gland, increases the efficiency of milking and, as a result, reduces the risk of mastitis in cows