• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.257-262
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• 1999

This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of pH and storage temperature on the viability of boar sperm diluted with extender KpA for swine artificial insemination. The results obtained in this experiment were summarized as follows : 1. The viability of boar sperm diluted with KpA was higher than that with BTS during storage and especially more than 60% of sperm viability in KpA was maintained through 6 days. The pH values of all extenders were kept during storage of semens following dilution. 2. The sperm diluted with acidic (pH 6.3~6.8) or alkalic (pH 7.8~8.0) KpA and stored at 4$^{\circ}C$ or 37$^{\circ}C$ were more sensitive in viability than that with neutral pH (6.8~7.3) and at 17$^{\circ}C$ storage. But pH values of all conditions were not increased rapidly. Especially acidic and alkalic diluents were more stable in pH after dilution. Conclusively, extender pH and storage temperature was the important factors for sperm viability. The KpA setting up around neutral pH was the optimal boar semen extender for maintaining liquid semen at 17$^{\circ}C$.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.51-55
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• 2012

The objective of this study was to investigate the motility and kinematics of boar sperm that while stored at 4C. The samples of fresh boar semen were place into an extender, Androhep, and stored at $4^{\circ}C$. In three of these samples, cryoprotectants were added. The sperm's motilities and kinematics were evaluated by using microscope (${\times}400$) and the viability status was evaluated by using with eosin staining method. The 5 sample groups are; Goup A:Androhep (extender), stored at $17^{\circ}C$. Group B:Androhep (extender), stored at $4^{\circ}C$. Group C:Androhep (extender), + 3% glycerol (cryoprotectant), stored at $4^{\circ}C$. Group D:Androhep (extender), + 3% DMSO (cryoprotectant), stored at $4^{\circ}C$. Group E:Androhep (extender), + 3% ethylene glycol (cryoprotectant), stored at $4^{\circ}C$. In group A, the sperm's motility was reduced. On day one the sperm's motility was ($85.7{\pm}2.3$) and day 5 the motility was ($43.9{\pm}3.3$). In group B, C and D the sperm's motility were reduced to 0 on day 5. In group E the sperm's percentage of motility decreased. On day one the sperm's motility was ($42.0{\pm}0.5$) and day 5 the motility was ($2.3{\pm}0.3$). When comparing cryoprotectant in samples of boar sperm there is a slight improvement in the results when the use of Androhep Lite (extender), + 3% ethylene glycol (cryoprotectant), stored at $4^{\circ}C$ are used. Based on these results, ethylene glycol can protect sperm from heat shock at $4^{\circ}C$, but not satisfactory level. However, it showed the possibilities of liquid semen preservation at $4^{\circ}C$ by using cryoprotectant.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.49-55
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• 1981

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of temperature and time of sedimentation and dilutor on the a, pp.arance of B-body in top and bottom fractions at separation of X and Y- chromosome bearing spermatozoa in boar semen. 1. The top fraction showed higher a, pp.arence rate of B-body than the bottom. 2. Sixty minutes at 5 and 15$^{\circ}C$ and 90 min, at 25$^{\circ}C$ showed highest difference of B-body a, pp.arence rate between top and bottom fractions. The highest difference was shown in the treatments of Sg at 5$^{\circ}C$, C at 15$^{\circ}C$ and P at 25$^{\circ}C$. 3. The highest difference was shown in the treatments of 25$^{\circ}C$ and Sg for 30 min, 15$^{\circ}C$ and P for 60 min. and 25$^{\circ}C$ and P for 90 min. 4. Sixty minutes in C, P, S and Sg dilutors showed the highest difference. 5. 25$^{\circ}C$ of the temperature levels, 60 min of the time levels and P of the dilutor levels showed the highest difference. 6. The difference was given due to the individual boar.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.494-498
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• 2008

MTT (3-(4, 5-dimethyl thiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) reduction assay is a method that validates the viability of an active cell. Dehydrogenase in mitochondria converts yellow colored insoluble tetrazolium salt to purple colored water-soluble formazan. Sperm also have mitochondria in the midpiece, therefore sperm viability could be evaluated by MTT reduction assay. Several studies have already demonstrated the capability of application of the MTT reduction assay to sperm of several species in Hepes-BSA buffer. Because most liquid semen was diluted in extender like BTS (Beltsville Thawing Solution), Modena or Androhep when it is used or transferred, semen needed another dilution in Hepes-BSA buffer to assess sperm viability. In this study, we evaluated boar sperm viability especially in BTS extended semen and compared the efficiency of this test with eosin-nigrosin staining. We used the fresh BTS extended semen from a local A.I center. Semen sample was diluted to $3.0{\times}10^7$ sperms/ml in BTS. The rates of formazan production were measured in 96-well microtiter plates immediately and 1h after incubation at $17^{\circ}C$ using a spectrophotometer at wave length 560 nm. Simultaneously, split samples of the same semen were tested, using eosin-nigrosin staining to compare the efficiency of the MTT assay of sperm viability in BTS. The correlation between the results of these tests was calculated using Student-t test and ANOVA. The results revealed a strong correlation between the results of MTT reduction rate and the results that were simultaneously determined by eosin-nigrosin staining at 1 h. In conclusion, the MTT reduction test was an effective and simple method to validate sperm viability and it could be used as a simple tool to evaluate sperm viability in the local A.I center and laboratory.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.81-83
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• 1996

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of sperm concentration of 5ml maxi-straw on farrowing rate and number of pigs born alive per litter in deep frozen boar semen. We did not find out the effect of sperm concentration on post-thaw sperm motility and NAR acrosome. However, farrowing rate and number of pigs born alive per litter of 7. 5 x 10˚ /5ml and 10.0 x 10˚ /5m1 sperm concentrations were higher than those of 5. 0 /10˚ /5ml sperm concentration.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.6-9
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• 2000

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of lower numbers of sperm $(3{\times}10^9)$ per dose liquid semen and type of semen used in artificial insemination (AI) on sow reproductive performance in subtropical area. Semen was supplied by two commercial AI centers. A total of 671 female pigs from seven farms were inseminated with either $3{\times}10^9$ or $5{\times}10^9$ sperm per dose. Two types of semen were used: heterospermic semen from two boars of the same breed and homospermic semen from a single boar. After insemination, conception rate, farrowing rate, total litter size, and number of dead piglets were recorded. The analysis of variance indicated that there was no significant effect of interactions between pig farm, type of semen, or number of sperm on any of the traits measured. There were significant differences in conception rate, farrowing rate, and total litter size among pig farms (p<0.05). The effect of number of sperm per dose liquid semen ($3{\times}10^9$ or $5{\times}10^9$) was not significant. Sows inseminated with homospermic semen showed significantly higher conception and farrowing rates but significantly lower total litter size (p<0.05). In conclusion, the number of sperm per dose liquid semen for AI could be lowered to $3{\times}10^9 $ without affecting reproductive performance in subtropical areas like Taiwan.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.49-52
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• 1994

This study was carried out to compare farrowing rate and litter traits for European and American lines with boar sperm frozen in straws. Farrowing rate, litter size and mean pig weght at birth and 21 days were investigated. A total of 36 gilts Landrace, Large white and Duroc were investigated at the Chungnam Provincial Animal Breeding Station. We obtained higher farrowing rate and litter traits for European line boars compared to American line boars.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.249-252
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• 2007

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of administration of Prostaglandin $F_2{\alpha}$ ($PGF_2{\alpha}$) on semen collection training and semen characteristics in sexually inexperienced boars. Boars were moved individually to a semen collection pen and were trained to mount dummy sow. During the first and second semen collection secessions, 4 out of 17 boars and 4 out of remaining 13 boars allowed collection of semen. The 9 boars that failed semen collection from first 2 attempts received immediately 15 mg of $PGF_2{\alpha}$ i.m. (intramuscular injection) upon entering the collection pen for semen collection resulted in successful semen collection from all 9 boars. Total numbers of spermatozoa were higher in $PGF_2{\alpha}$ treated boars but there was no significant difference in % motility kinematics characteristics between control and $PGF_2{\alpha}$ treated groups during 72 hr period. Overall, administration of $PGF_2{\alpha}$ in sexually inexperienced boars increased the sex drive and facilitated the mounting activity to the dummy sow for semen collection.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.127-133
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• 2008

The objective of this study was two folds: to investigate the relationship between paternal identification rate and sperm quality parameters such as motility and sperm chromatin structure assay after heterospermic insemination; to see if mutual complement between tests and development of useful technique to enhance the fertility in artificial insemination. In individual boar's fertilizing ability, 3 high fertility boars showed significantly high fertility (p<0.05) compared to 3 low fertility boars, but there was no difference in litter size between two groups. Sperm motility test in pooled and individual semen using computer assisted sperm analysis (CASA) revealed that no significant difference among boars. The high fertile boar showed tendency of low %Red (High red fluorescence/green+red fluorescence) in sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA) but paternal identification rate from piglets did not differ after heterospermic insemination. The correlation coefficient between individual or pooled semen function test and farrowing rates were well correlated as follows: %Red with litter size (r= - 0.53, p=0.03); %Red with paternal identification rates (r=-0.51, p=0.03); paternal identification rates with litter size (r=0.57, p=0.02). These results indicate that sperm chromatin structure assay and sperm quality parameter test in pooled semen are useful method to predict and evaluate the fertilizing capacity after heterospermic insemination in boars.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.99-105
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• 2009

Curcumin is a major active component of the food flovour tumeric. It has been used for the treatment of many diseases such as inflammatory and infectious diseases, cancer and other disease due to its antioxidant properties. Curcumin is a powerful scavenger of many free radicals such as superoxide anion, hydroxyl radical and nitric oxide. The objective of this study was to investigate the antioxidative effects of curcumin against hydrogen peroxide on semen quality during in vitro storage of boar semen. The sperm treated with different concentration of curcumin (1, 5 and 10 ${\mu}M$) in the presence or absence of hydrogen peroxide (250 ${\mu}M\;H_2O_2$) were incubated for 3, 6 and 9 hr at $37^{\circ}C$ and analyzed sperm characteristics such as motility, membrane integrity (MI), lipid peroxidation (LPO), reactive oxygen species (ROS) and DNA fragmentation (DF). The sperm motility and MI in $H_2O_2$ treated group ($47.8%{\pm}6.8$ and $24.8%{\pm}2.2$) were significantly decreased when compare to curcumin treated group ($79.8%{\pm}2.7$ and $34.6%{\pm}1.0$, respectively) irrespective of incubation periods(p<0.05). The LPO of spermatozoal plasma membrane was measured by thiobarbituric acid (TBA) reactions for malondialdehyde (MDA), MDA level in control ($11.6{\pm}0.6\;nmol/L{\times}10^6$) and curcumin groups ($10.7{\pm}0.3\;nmol/L{\times}10^6$) were lower than those of curcumin plus $H_2O_2$ ($17.1{\pm}0.8\;nmol/L{\times}10^6$) or $H_2O_2$ group ($22.5{\pm}1.9\;nmol/L{\times}10^6$) from 3 to 9 hr incubation periods. The DF by sperm chromatin dispersion (SCD) test and ROS production measured by 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein (DCF) fluorescence intensity were no significantly difference through all experimental groups (p>0.05). Correlation among evaluation methods for sperm quality, motility vs MI and DF vs ROS was positively correlated while motility vs DF and ROS vs LPO were negatively correlated in all treatment groups. These results demonstrate that curcumin can effectively improve the sperm quality during in vitro storage of boar semen through its hydrogen peroxide scavenging mechanism as an antioxidant.