Original Scientific Article
Variations in semen quality parameters of Ovchepolian pramenka rams according to the method of collection and the meteorological season
Nikolovski Martin
*
,
Atanasov Branko
,
Dovenska Monika
,
Petkov Vladimir
,
Dovenski Toni
Received: 02 April 2013
Received in revised form: 01 June 2013
Accepted: 04 June 2013
Available Online First: 15 October 2013
Published on: 15 October 2012
Correspondence: Nikolovski Martin,
Abstract
The off-breeding season for rams is a time-limiting factor for their use in scientific aims. This research was set upon two aims: (1) to acknowledge the differences of semen quality collected throughout the year, and (2) to investigate which of the two commonly used methods for semen collection (artificial vagina - A.V. and electro ejaculation - E.E.) could prove to be more favorable in the off-breeding period. Five Ovchepolian Pramenka rams were used for this investigation. They were divided in two groups: group 1 (two rams), which was subjected to A.V. method, and group 2 (three rams), which was subjected to E.E. method for semen collection. Semen evaluation included: volume, spermatozoa concentration, live spermatozoa, ejaculate density and motility. According to the season, results have a high statistical significance for the volume (P<0.01) and motility (P<0.001) parameters. Group 1 and 2 results versification showed a high statistical significance for the motility score (P<0.001), ejaculate volume (P<0.01) and percentage of live spermatozoa (P<0.01) parameters. In conclusion, the A.V. method is more favorable for semen collection in late autumn, winter and spring time when rams are out of the breeding season.
Keywords: rams, semen collection, artificial vagina, electro ejaculation, breeding season
Citation Information
Macedonian Veterinary Review. Volume 35, Issue 2, Pages 79-86, p-ISSN 1409-7621, e-ISSN 1857-7415, 2013
636.39.082.453.5(497.732)
