EFFECT OF DIFFERENT AGES AND SEASONS ON QUALITY OF THE DROMEDARY CAMEL SPERMATOZOA STORED AT 5°C

Semen was collected, evaluated, extended with Lactose-yolk-citrate (LYC) extender and stored at 5 °C for 3 days. Sperm penetration into she-camel cervical mucus, during incubation at 37ºC for 4 hours in different seasons and ages of the camels was recorded. The results revealed that, the percentages of sperm motility and storagability were significantly  P<0.05) higher in the breeding season of the dromedary camel at 5 to 10 years than non-breeding season and at 15 to 20 years old, during storage at 5°C. However, the percentages of dead spermatozoa, abnormal spermatozoa, acrosome damage and chromatin damage of spermatozoa were significantly (P<0.05) lower in the breeding season of the male dromedary camels at 5 to 10 and 10 to 15 years than the non-breeding season and at 15 to 20 years old.The advancement of storage time at 5°C for 3 days was significantly (P<0.05) decreased the percentage of sperm motility, while significantly (P<0.05) increased the percentages of dead spermatozoa, abnormal spermatozoa, acrosome damage and chromatin damage of spermatozoa either the breeding or non-breeding season with the different ages of the male dromedary camels. The penetrating ability of spermatozoa into she-camel cervical mucus was significantly (P<0.05) better during the breeding than non-breeding season. The advancement of incubation at 37ºC for 4 hours was significantly (P<0.05) decreased the
penetrating ability of spermatozoa into she-camel cervical mucus during the breeding and non-breeding seasons. In conclusion we can recommend to collect and store the dromedary camel semen at 5°C for the artificial insemination (AI) programs