Effect of cooling rate on sperm quality of cryopreserved Andalusian donkey spermatozoa

GÓMEZ-ARRONES, V.; ORTIZ, I.; DEMYDA-PEYRÁS, S.; GÓSALVEZ, J.; HIDALGO, M.; BOTTREL, M.; DORADO, J.; CARRASCO, J.J.; ACHA, D.

ANIMAL REPRODUCTION SCIENCE

ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2018 vol. 193 p. 201 - 208

0378-4320

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of different cooling rates on post-thaw quality of cryopreserved donkey spermatozoa. Eighteen ejaculates from six adult Andalusian donkeys (three ejaculates per donkey) were collected using an artificial vagina. Pooled semen samples (two ejaculates per pool) were divided into three aliquots, and frozen in Gent freezing extender using three different cryopreservation protocols (P): P1 (conventional slow freezing, as control): semen pre-cooled in an Equitainer for 2 h and frozen in liquid nitrogen (LN2) vapour; P2 (controlled pre-freeze cooling rate): semen pre-cooled at a controlled rate for 73 min and frozen in LN2 vapour; and P3 (rapid freezing) semen frozen immediately in LN2 vapour. After thawing at 37 ºC for 30 s, semen samples were assessed for motility, morphology, acrosome and plasma membrane integrity; spermatozoa were also tested for DNA integrity. Significant (P