Utilização de diluidor livre de produtos de origem animal para refrigeração do sêmen caprino

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of different extenders [Tris buffer (Tris), Tris-egg yolk (EY) and Tris-soybean lecithin 1% (SL1) and 2% (SL2)] and the removal of seminal plasma process in goat sperm stored at 5 ºC for 48 hours. Semen was collected four goats (two Toggenburg and two American Alpine), using an artificial vagina twice a week for four weeks. Ejaculates with greater than 60% motility were pooled and each pool seminal (n = 8) was used in a repeat. The pool was divided equally, half diluted without removal of seminal plasma (non washed semen – NW), and packaged in straws of 0.25 mL (200x106 sperm/mL). The second half of the pool was subjected to removal of the seminal plasma (washed semen - W) by double centrifugation (2200 g/10 min) then diluted and packaged as mentioned above. Then, the samples were chilled to 5 °C (90 min) and kept under refrigeration for 48 hours. Computer analysis of sperm kinetics (CASA) and the evaluation of the plasma membrane (PMi) and acrosomal (ACi) integrity and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) were determined within five minutes after reaching 5 °C (T0), and after 24 (T24) and 48 (T48) hours of storage. No influence extender (p>0.05) was observed for sperm kinetic variables of NW semen, however, independent extender, progressive motility (PM), linearity (LIN), straightness (STR), straightline velocity (VSL) and average path velocity (VAP) were lower (p<0.05) in T48 compared to T0, a fact confirmed for total motility (TM) of SL2 group. In washed semen, TM and MP of EY group was higher (p <0.05) than the other groups throughout chilling period. After removal of the seminal plasma did not influence the cooling time (p>0.05) in any of the kinetic variables SL2 group. However, LIN, STR, VSL values for Tris-EY and SL1 groups, and PM and VAP values for Tris-EY group, were lower in T48 compared to T0. It was observed also that in the T48 TM, PM, VSL and VAP variables of LS2 group, and PM variable of Tris-EY group were higher in semen washed when compared to semen non whased. The PMi was not influenced by the type of extender, but in NW semen PMi of Tris-EY and SL2 groups was lower (p <0.05) in T48 compared to T0. Greater (p <0.05) PMi was observed for the washed compared to non washed semen. The ACi and kinetics (curvilinear velocity – VCL) were not affected (p>0.05) by extender, or by storage time or the removal of seminal plasma. Thus, it is concluded that the soybean lecithin can be used as a substitute for egg yolk for cooling of goat semen and which removal of the seminal plasma enhances the preservation of the caprine semen.