Thesis (Ph.D. (Animal Nutrition)) -- University of Limpopo, 2016 / Refer to document

Department of Animal Science / PhD (Agric)

MSCAGR (Animal Science) / Department of Animal Science / The Boer goat (Capra hircus) is one of the most desirable goat breeds for meat production. The impact of cryopreservation on the viability of its semen depends on the extenders, freezing and thawing methods. This study evaluated the effects on sperm viability in Boer goat semen extended using Bioxcell, Biladyl and Ham’s F10, and frozen in semen straws placed on a rack at 4, 5, 6 or 7 cm above the surface of liquid nitrogen. After storage in liquid nitrogen for 7 days, the frozen semen was thawed at 37 oC for 30 seconds or 90 oC for 5 seconds. Samples of sperm were also frozen to -196 oC in a programmable freezer, as the control regime for the freezing treatments. Sperm morphology, motility and viability were evaluated using the computer aided sperm analysis (CASA) system in a randomised design in which the treatments were in a 3 (extender) X 5 (freezing regime) and X 2 (thawing regime) factorial arrangement. The extenders Bioxcell and Biladyl were affected in the total motility, progressive motility and static (P<0.01), the motility was overall maintained only in straws placed at 5 cm above the liquid nitrogen level, with significant difference for the interaction extender X freezing regime in the total motility (p<0.01), non-progressive motility (p<0.05) and progressive motility (p<0.01), the 37 oC for 30 sec thawing regime had significantly more (P<0.05) in cut-head spermatozoa. Ham’s F10 extender had significantly lower normal spermatozoa (P<0.05) compare to Biladyl and Bioxcell extenders. In conclusion, the extender type, freezing and thawing regime were important factors for consideration in goat semen / NRF