331-334
Natural honey as a cryoprotectant to improve Arab stallion post-thawing sperm parameters
Authors: Reda I. El-Sheshtawy, Diya A. El-Badry, Gamal A. El-Sisy, Walid S. El-Nattat, Amal M. Abo Almaaty
Number of views: 295
Objective
To investigate the effect of extender supplementation with different concentrations of a honey bee on post-thawed sperm motility, viability index, membrane and acrosome integrities in Arab stallion.
Methods
Five ejaculates from each of four Arabian stallions were subjected to cryopreservation with a modified INRA-82, without any supplementation (control) or supplemented with 1%, 2%, 3%, 4% and 5% honey bee. After thawing, all samples were maintained at 37 °C, while analyses were performed at 0, 1, and 2 and 3 h. Sperm motility percentage, viability index percentage, membrane integrity percentage and acrosome integrity percentage of each sample were determined by conventional laboratory methods.
Results
Relative to the control group, supplementation with honey (2%, 3% and 4% significantly improved (P < 0.01 at least) post-thaw sperm motility, viability index (P < 0.001 at least) and had a positive effect on membrane integrity and intact acrosome percentage (P < 0.001 at least) at 0, 1, 2 and 3 h post-thawing. For all semen parameters, the lower concentration of honey (1%) and higher concentration (5%) did not show significant differences (P > 0.05) compared with the control.
Conclusion
Honey bee supplementation in Arab stallion semen extenders provided a better protection of sperm parameters against cryopreservation injury, in comparison to the control groups.