Stallion Sperm Integrity After Centrifugation to Reduce Seminal Plasma Concentration and Cool Storage for 4 days.
Authors: Len Jose, Beehan David, Eilts Bruce, Ebrahimie Esmaeil, Lyle Sara
Journal: Journal of equine veterinary science
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Seminal Plasma Reduction and Cool Storage in Stallion Semen Maintaining semen quality during cool storage is critical for breeding programmes relying on shipped or stored doses, yet seminal plasma can compromise sperm longevity. This investigation examined whether a single centrifugation step to reduce seminal plasma concentration could preserve stallion semen integrity adequately for artificial insemination following four days of cool storage. Extended semen samples were treated with either no centrifugation (control), or centrifugation at 900 × g or 1800 × g for 10 minutes; the resulting sperm pellets were then re-extended and cooled using overnight passive cooling followed by refrigeration. Both centrifuged groups demonstrated significantly higher total and progressive motility at day 4 compared to controls (P < 0.05), alongside superior plasma membrane integrity at the same timepoint (P < 0.05). These findings suggest that a single centrifugation cycle represents a practical and cost-effective method to extend the usable window of cooled stallion semen, potentially broadening access to high-quality doses for reproductive programmes managing extended breeding timelines or geographical constraints.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •For stallion semen collection centers: a single centrifugation step to remove seminal plasma is sufficient to maintain viable sperm for AI up to 4 days without requiring multiple processing cycles
- •Simplified semen processing protocol reduces handling time and costs while preserving sperm quality comparable to untreated controls through cool storage period
- •Practitioners can confidently extend cooled stored semen timelines from typical 2–3 days to 4 days when seminal plasma is reduced via centrifugation
Key Findings
- •Single centrifugation at 900×g or 1800×g to reduce seminal plasma improved total motility and progressive motility at day 4 compared to non-centrifuged control (P<0.05)
- •Centrifuged groups maintained higher plasma membrane integrity at day 4 (P<0.05)
- •Centrifuged semen remained acceptable for artificial insemination dosing after 4 days of cool storage