12 FERTILITY OF FROZEN EQUINE SPERM IN SYSTEMS FOR CRYOPRESERVATION

Optimizing cryopreservation of equine sperm will facilitate genetic banking and propagation of important horse strains through assisted reproduction. This study aimed to evaluate the motility pattern using computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) and plasma membrane integrity by epifluorescence microscopy of equine semen frozen in 0.5 mL straws at different freezing rates; also, a fertility trial was performed according to the freezing protocol. Three ejaculates from four stallions of various breeds (Mangalarga Marchador, Westfallen, Hanovarian and Arabian) and ages (5 to 20 years) were collected and processed for cryopreservation. The stallions were housed at the CERBEQ, Reproduction Centre of the Department of Animal Reproduction and Veterinary Radiology, UNESP. The ejaculates were filtered and submitted to analysis by CASA (HTM IVOS 12, Hamilton Thorne Research, USA). In addition, the plasma membrane integrity was determined by fluorescent probes. After evaluation, the ejaculates were diluted at 1:1 (extender:semen) with skim milk extender Botu-Semen™ and centrifuged at 600 × g for 10 min. The supernatant was removed and the pellet resuspended to a final concentration of 100 × 106 sperm mL–1 with milk-egg yolk freezing extender (Botu-Crio™). Semen was packaged in 0.5-mL straws (IMV, LAigle, France) and was placed in nitrogen for 20 min and then from room temperature to 5°C and then frozen in two different cooling systems: an isothermic box (42 cm × 28 cm × 12.5 cm) was placed upon racks suspended 6 cm above liquid nitrogen or other 20 min then immersed into nitrogen and automated system Mini Digitcool™ (IMV Technologies, France), cooling at a –40°C min–1 rate. All straws were stored in liquid nitrogen until thawing and analysis. The straws were thawed in a water bath at 46°C for 20 s and the samples were evaluated for progressive motility, angular progressive velocity, progressive velocity, track speed, percentage of rapid sperm and percentage of sperm with plasma membrane integrity. For the fertility trial, 65 clinically healthy mares had their oestrous cycle monitored by ultrasound and inseminated postovulation with sperm into the uterus. Ovulation was induced with 1 mL of deslorelin acetate (GnRH) injected IM when a 35-mm follicle was detected. Thirty-six hours later, mares were monitored every 6 h until ovulation was detected. When it was detected, mares were inseminated with 800 × 106 total sperm. Pregnancy was confirmed via ultrasound examination 15 days after ovulation. Pregnancy rate was 52.2% using the isothermic box and 60% using the automated machine. Statistical analysis from the frozen–thawed semen evaluated parameters was performed using the statistics software Proc. MIXED of SAS 9.1 and for the fertility trial, logistic regression using the Proc GENMOD from SAS 9.1. The conventional method using the isothermic box was similar to the automated machine with a fast freezing rate. Additionally, AI with 800 × 106 sperm frozen in the isothermic box or automated system resulted in similarly acceptable conception rates.