Comparison of the effects of different thawing methods on post-thaw sperm characteristics of buffalo bull semen

Abstract

Application proper procedures for thawing of cryopreserved sperm are required for successful artificial insemination. The study was aimed to compare the effects of watery and dry thawing systems on motility, acrosome integrity, plasma membrane integrity, morphologic and kinematic characteristics of buffalo bull spermatozoa. Anatolian Buffalo bull spermatozoa, cryopreserved in volumes of 0.25 mL straws, were thawed by using 1) watery thawing system; a total of 10 straws were thawed in a water bath at 37 °C for 30 sec and 2) dry thawing system; a total of 10 straws were thawed in a dry thawing device at 37 °C for 30 sec. There was no difference between in watery and dry thawing system for the percentages of hypo-osmotic swelling test of post-thaw buffalo spermatozoa (78.70±1.13 vs. 77.20±0.98%) and acrosome damages of spermatozoa (16.70±1.02 vs. 16.00±0.59). Total abnormal spermatozoa rate of dry thawing system was lower (P<0.05) than that of watery thawing system. There was no difference between thawing methods for all kinematic characteristics except for STR value (P<0.05) resulted in a decrease in dry thawing system. In conclusion, the current study showed that the use of dry thawing system could be used as an alternative to watery thawing system because most post-thaw buffalo bull sperm values in dry thawing were similar to those in watery thawing system. Furthermore, dry thawing system has some advantages compared to watery thawing system because of portable, practical, easily using in farms or barns and no water necessity.