PRESERVATION OF RAM SEMEN EXTENDER WITH NON-TRADITIONAL INGREDIENTS IN LIQUID AND FROZEN STATE

The objective of the present study aimed to define the effect of three different semen extenders (two traditional and one non-traditional) on vitality of unfrozen and frozen ram semen and its reproductive performance. To achieve this objective, six Rahmani rams (30-31 months old with live body weight of 75-80 kg) were used. Semen was collected twice a week for six weeks using artificial vagina. The semen ejaculates were extended using traditional semen diluents [Tris-egg yolk (E1) and sodium citrate-egg yolk (E2)] and non-traditional semen one as lecithin plus propolis extract dissolved in saline solution
(NaCl 0.9% w/v) intravenous infusion (E3). Two unfrozen conditions (as incubation at 37ºC for up to 4 hours and stored at 5ºC for up to 4 days) and semen quality as sperm motility (%), live spermatozoa (%), normal spermatozoa (%) and intact acrosome (%) were recorded of unfrozen semen. While, through frozen semen (post-semen dilution, post- semen equilibration at 5ºC up to 180 minutes and post-thawing at 37ºC for up to 60 seconds) were recorded. In addition, reproductive performance as conception rate (%), fertility rate (%) and litters size (%) were observed with twenty-eight ewes allocated into two groups (14 ewes /group). Then, artificial insemination was performed to 1st and 2nd groups using the best either frozenthawed semen extender in E1 or E3, respectively. Results indicated that unfrozen semen in E1, E2 and E3 showed insignificantly differs throughout the times of incubation at 37ºC and preservation at 5ºC. While, E3 was recorded better semen characteristics followed by E1 and E2. The highest (P<0.05) semen parameters observed with either E3 or E1 during the first hours of incubation and first day of preservation compared to E2 extender. The major frozen semen characteristics such as post-thawing motility and post-thawing intact acrosome attained significant (P<0.05) better quality in E3 following E1 than E2 extender. In addition, E3 showed higher reproductive performance as conception rate at 1st service (57.14%) and 2nd service (66.67 %), fertility rate (60.00 %) and litter size (1.67) than E1 (50.00%), (57.14%),
(52. 38%) and (1.09), respectively. It was concluded that ram semen can be preserved and cryopreserved in non-traditional semen extender without disruption in sperm survival through storage either liquid or frozen state.