Fertility of Deep Frozen Boar Spermatozoa at Various Intervals between Insemination and Induced Ovulation

Abstract

This study was performed to investigate the influence of boars and thawing diluents on the fertilizing capacity of deep frozen spermatozoa at various intervals between inseminations and ovulation.

Forty-four Swedish crossbred gilts were inseminated following injection of HCG late in the prooestrus. Inseminations were performed 22, 28, 34 and 38 hrs. after injection of HCG. Ovulation was expected to occur 40 hrs. after injection of HCG. Two boars, previously tested for fertility with frozen semen, supplied the spermatozoa. Roar seminal plasma and OLEP were utilized as thawing diluents. The gilts were slaughtered 32–48 hrs. after estimated ovulation. The genital tracts were removed immediately after stunning and bleeding and the numbers of recent ovulations, recovered ova and fertilized ova were recorded. Additionally recovered ova were classified according to estimated numbers of spermatozoa attached to the zona pellucida.

Similar fertilization rates were obtained when inseminations were performed 2 and 6 hrs. before estimated ovulation. A clear decline in fertility appeared when inseminations were performed earlier than 6 hrs. before expected ovulation. The results were influenced by the boars as well as by the thawing diluents. Seminal plasma yielded a higher fertilization rate than OLEP in inseminations performed 2 hrs. before estimated ovulation. The boars yielded similar fertility in inseminations performed 2 hrs. before estimated ovulation. With increasing intervals between inseminations and ovulation the difference between the boars increased. The single gilt in which fertilized ova were found after insemination 18 hrs. before ovulation was inseminated with spermatozoa from the superior boar, thawed in seminal plasma. The present results indicate that spermatozoa with low resistance to freezing-thawing have a short fertile life in the female genital tract after insemination.