Fertility Of Cryopreserved Buffalo Semen Can Be Improved By Supplementation Of Arachidic Acid In Extender

The study aimed to evaluate in vivo fertility of cryopreserved buffalo spermatozoa by addition of arachidic acid in semen extender. For this purpose, semen was collected from 3 adult buffalo bulls (Bubalus bubalis) of same age by artificial vagina keeping temperature at 42 degrees C for a period of 5 weeks (replicates; n=30). Ejaculates were mixed in tris citric acid extender having 0.0 (control), 20.0, 25.0 and 30.0 ng/mL of arachidic acid at a temperature of 37 degrees C (>1 mL volume, >0.5 billion per mL conc., >60% motility) and cryopreserved using standard procedures. Percent sperm motility, liveability, plasmalemma integrity and viability were increased in extender (P<0.05) having 20.0 ng/mL of arachidic acid compared to 25.0 ng/mL, 30.0 ng/mL and control. However, sperm chromatin integrity was equally improved in experimental extenders having arachidic acid compared to control. Sperm abnormalities were reduced in experimental extender with 20 ng/mL of arachidic acid compared to other experimental extenders containing arachidic acid and control. In experiment 2, a total of 533 inseminations were carried out by the extender containing best level of arachidic acid (20 ng/mL of extender). In vivo fertility was significantly improved in buffaloes inseminated with semen containing 20.0 ng/mL of arachidic acid (58.64%) compared to control (46.06%). In conclusion, addition of arachidic acid (20.0 ng/mL) in extender significantly enhanced quality and in vivo fertility of post thaw buffalo semen.