Science Letters

Conventional semen processing technique and breeding soundness of various cattle breed bulls used in sub-tropical conditions

Fawad Ur Rehman 1*, Muhammad Subhan Qureshi 1, Sajid Ur Rehman 2, Ikramullah Khan 1, Hafiz Abdul Majid 1, Muhammad Aftab 1

1 Department of Livestock Management, Faculty of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences, University of Agriculture Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

2 Department of Poultry Science, Faculty of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences, University of Agriculture Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Abstract

Protocol was developed to evaluate the best performing breed in the local conditions of tribal areas which are slightly different from other parts of the country; moreover the conventional method was used to evaluate its effect on the semen quality during processing. Four different breeds (Holstein Friesian, Jersey, Sahiwal, and Holstein-Friesian Sahiwal Cross) in four different time intervals (pre-dilution, post-dilution, post-equilibration and post-freezing) were evaluated to see their effect on the semen quality such as individual motility, sperm membrane integrity, sperm morphology and live percentage. The breed effected individual motility of semen significantly (p<0.05), while the effect on volume, sperm abnormalities and membrane integrity was highly significant (p<0.01). Highest individual motility observed for FSC was 74.0%, as compare to Jersey, Holstein Friesian and Sahiwal, i.e., 72.9%, 70.95% and 68.9 %, respectively. However, the primary abnormalities observed were highest in FSC (15.39%) and least in Jersey (11.70%). Membrane integrity damage was found in FSC, Sahiwal, Jersey and HF as 24.06%, 22.66%, 20.60% and 18.90% respectively. The effect of different time intervals on the sperm motility, live percentage and secondary abnormities was highly significant (p<0.01). The individual sperm motility during different time interval, i.e., pre-dilution, post-dilution, post-equilibration and post-freezing was 93.34%, 80.31%, 79.30% and 49.92%. respectively. The live sperm percentage was highest at pre-dilution (92.72%) and least observed at post freezing (53.60%), showing 42.19 percent change. Secondary abnormalities observed were 8.19%, 18.23%, 21.35% and 29.96% respectively, during different time intervals. The overall results suggest that jersey breed performance was good in hilly area of the region and should be continued to breed the local breed Achai. Moreover highest sperm abnormalities and other damage to sperm cell were occurred post-freezing by using conventional way of freezing.

Keywords: Cattle breeds, conventional method, semen quality, sub-tropical region.

Received May 25, 2013; Revised August 22, 2013; Accepted September 04, 2013

*Corresponding author: Fawad Ur Rehman; Email: dwarvet@hotmail.com