Freezability and Fertility Rates of Stallion Semen Supplemented With Trehalose in Lactose Extender.
Authors: Jhamb Dinesh, Talluri Thirumala Rao, Sharma Sunanda, Juneja Rohit, Nirwan Surendar Singh, Yadav Deepak, Pargi Kalpesh Kumar, Tanwar Aashish, Kumar Pramod, Kumar Ramesh, Mehta Sharat Chandra, Parashar Mukesh, Gaur Mitesh
Journal: Journal of equine veterinary science
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Trehalose Supplementation in Stallion Semen Cryopreservation Cryopreservation remains a valuable tool in equine breeding programmes, yet freeze-thaw cycles inflict osmotic stress that compromises sperm function and fertility outcomes. This 2023 study investigated whether trehalose, a disaccharide with known cryoprotective properties, could mitigate this damage when added to lactose-based extenders for Marwari stallion semen. Semen from six stallions was supplemented with 0, 50, or 150 mM trehalose before freezing, with comprehensive assessment of motility, membrane integrity, mitochondrial function, DNA integrity, and oxidative stress markers at fresh, pre-freeze, and post-thaw stages, followed by a field fertility trial across 30 mares. The 50 mM trehalose treatment demonstrated significant protective effects: post-thaw progressive motility and sperm viability improved notably compared to controls, whilst oxidative stress markers (reactive oxygen species and lipid peroxidation) were reduced and cellular integrity parameters—plasma membrane, acrosome, mitochondrial membrane potential, and DNA—were all enhanced. Field fertility trended favourably in mares inseminated with trehalose-supplemented semen, though the difference did not reach statistical significance, likely due to the modest trial size. For practitioners utilising frozen stallion semen, these findings suggest that incorporating 50 mM trehalose into extenders could provide meaningful improvements in post-thaw sperm quality and potentially fertility outcomes, particularly valuable when working with stallions whose semen freezes poorly or when maximising the genetic potential of cryopreserved doses.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Adding 50 mM trehalose to lactose-based semen extenders can improve stallion semen freezability and post-thaw quality, making frozen semen a more viable breeding option
- •This simple extender modification may reduce the fertility gap between fresh and frozen-thawed stallion semen without requiring major changes to existing cryopreservation protocols
- •Consider this supplementation strategy for breeding programs relying on frozen stallion semen, particularly for valuable Marwari or similar breeds
Key Findings
- •50 mM trehalose supplementation in lactose extender significantly improved post-thaw progressive motility and sperm viability compared to control
- •Trehalose at 50 mM enhanced plasma membrane, acrosomal, and DNA integrities while increasing mitochondrial membrane potential
- •Trehalose supplementation reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lipid peroxidation (LPO), protecting sperm from oxidative stress
- •Mares inseminated with 50 mM trehalose-supplemented frozen-thawed semen showed numerically higher pregnancy rates than controls, though not statistically significant