Development of a new method to preserve caprine cauda epididymal spermatozoa in-situ at -10 degrees Centigrade

Abstract

Electrolyte free mediums prepared with soybean lecithin-glycerol,Coenzyme Q10–glycerol and soybean lecithin-Coenzyme Q10-glycerol were inoculated separately into ligated cauda epididymides, equilibrated 2 h at 5 degree centigrade, wrapped with aluminium foils along with testis and freezed at -10 degree centigrade.Spermatozoan characters were evaluated 7 and 21 days after thawing at 38.5 degree centigrade in a water bath for 5 min. Spermatozoan characters were diminished gradually and significantly (P<0.001, P<0.05) between the mediums and observation days. Soybean lecithin-CoenzymeQ10-glycerol effectively protected spermatozoa against cold shock where spermatozoan progressive motility, livability, hypo-osmotic swelling positivity were 30.2 ± 0.62; 45.2 ± 0.82 and 41.6 ± 0.79 percent respectively on day 21. This new method is better than preservation of in-situ epididymal spermatozoa at 5 degree centigrade for a short duration. Therefore, present method can be adopted effectively in field conditions for transportation of freezed epididymides and for re-utilization of maximum functional gametes by artificial reproductive technologies to conserve valuable animals after postmortem / slaughter.