Murawski M, Schwarz T, Grygier J, Patkowski K, Oszcz\u0119da Z, Jelkin I, Kosiek A, Gruszecki TM, Szymanowska A, Skrzypek T, Zieba DA, Bartlewski PM.<\/p>\n
Department of Animal Biotechnology, University of Agriculture in Cracow, 30-274 Krak\u00f3w, Poland. Institute of Animal Sciences, University of Agriculture in Cracow, 31-120 Krak\u00f3w, Poland. Department of Animal Biotechnology, University of Agriculture in Cracow, 30-274 Krak\u00f3w, Poland joanna.grygier7@gmail.com. Department of Biology and Animal Breeding, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 20-950 Lublin, Poland. Nantes Nanotechnology Systems, 59-700 Boles\u0142awiec, Poland. Center for Interdisciplinary Research, Catholic University of Lublin, 20-705 Lublin, Poland. Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada N1G 2W1.<\/em><\/p>\n Nanowater (NW; water declusterized in the low-temperature plasma reactor) has specific physicochemical properties that could increase semen viability after freezing and hence fertility after artificial insemination (AI) procedures. The main goal of this study was to evaluate ram semen quality after freezing in the media containing NW. Ejaculates from 10 rams were divided into two equal parts, diluted in a commercially available semen extender (Triladyl\u00ae; MiniT\u00fcb GmbH, Tiefenbach, Germany) prepared with deionized water (DW) or NW, and then frozen in liquid nitrogen. Semen samples were examined for sperm motility and morphology using the sperm class analyzer system and light microscopy. Cryo-scanning electron microscopy (cryo-SEM) was employed to determine the size of extracellular water crystals in frozen semen samples. Survival time at room temperature, aspartate aminotransferase (AspAT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) concentrations post-thawing as well as conception\/lambing rates after laparoscopic intrauterine AI of 120 ewes were also determined. There were no significant differences between DW and NW groups in sperm progressive motility (26.4\u2009\u00b1\u200912.2 and 30.8\u2009\u00b1\u200912.4%) or survival time (266.6\u2009\u00b1\u200961.3 and 270.9\u2009\u00b1\u200976.7\u2009min) after thawing and no differences in the percentages of spermatozoa with various morphological defects before or after freezing. There were, however, differences (P\u2009<\u20090.05) in AspAT (DW: 187.1\u2009\u00b1\u2009160.4 vs. NW: 152.7\u2009\u00b1\u2009118.3 U\/l) and ALP concentrations (DW: 2198.3\u2009\u00b1\u20091810.5 vs. NW: 1612.1\u2009\u00b1\u20091144.8 U\/l) in semen samples post-thawing. Extracellular water crystals were larger (P\u2009<\u20090.05) in ejaculates frozen in NW-containing media. Ultrasonographic examinations on day 40 post-AI revealed higher (P\u2009<\u20090.05) conception rates in ewes inseminated with NW (78.3%) compared with DW semen (58.3%), and the percentages of ewes that carried lambs to term were 73.3% and 45.0% in NW and DW groups, respectively (P\u2009<\u20090.01). In summary, the use of a semen extender prepared with NW was associated with a substantial improvement in the fertilizing ability of frozen-thawed ram semen and lamb productivity of inseminated ewes.<\/p>\n doi: 10.1177\/1535370214557219<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"