No description available.

O objetivo do presente estudo foi verificar a influência de diferentes pontos de risco de contaminação bacteriana durante a coleta do ejaculado suíno e seus efeitos sobre a qualidade da dose inseminante (DI). O experimento foi realizado em quatro centros de difusão genética (CDG), nos quais as coletas dos ejaculados foram observadas buscando possíveis pontos de risco de contaminação. Posteriormente, o sêmen in natura e 2 DIs, provenientes da coleta observada, foram avaliados no que se refere à quantificação bacteriana, morfologia e motilidade espermática e pH. Além do ejaculado, amostras de água e diluente foram avaliadas quanto ao número de unidades formadoras de colônia (UFC). Pêlos prepuciais compridos (>1,0 cm), a higiene da luva de coleta, líquido pingando pela mão do coletador para o interior do recipiente de coleta e a duração da coleta foram os 4, dentre os 12 fatores avaliados, que levaram a um aumento no percentual de ejaculados com valor superior a 220 UFC mL-1 de mesófilos aeróbios (P<0,05). Foi avaliado o efeito isolado ou associado de sete fatores (reprodutor sujo, óstio prepucial sujo, divertículo prepucial grande, pêlos prepuciais compridos, luva de coleta suja, pingos pela mão do coletador para dentro do recipiente de coleta e pênis escapou durante a coleta) que pudessem resultar diretamente na contaminação do ejaculado. Houve aumento significativo do número de ejaculados com contaminação superior a 220 UFC mL-1, a partir da associação de 2 fatores, quando comparados aos ejaculados obtidos em coletas sem nenhum fator predisponente para contaminação. Ao classificar as DIs conforme o grau de contaminação do diluente foram observadas redução na motilidade e no pH e aumento nas alterações de acrossoma das DIs, ao longo das 168 horas de armazenamento, no grupo cujo grau de contaminação do diluente foi superior a 14000 UFC mL-1 versus o grupo com contaminação inferior a 330 UFC mL-1. Doses inseminantes provenientes de ejaculados mais contaminados apresentaram maior grau de contaminação bacteriana. Aparentemente, quando o ejaculado é coletado com um protocolo de contaminação mínima, dificilmente seu grau de contaminação será capaz de produzir efeitos deletérios na qualidade da DI, exceto quando a origem da contaminação for proveniente de falhas higiênicas na linha de processamento das mesmas. A produção de DIs com alta qualidade do ponto de vista bacteriano, somente será possível com um rigoroso controle higiênico na linha de processamento, principalmente no que diz respeito à água e ao diluente, associados a um protocolo de contaminação mínima durante a coleta. / The aim of this study was to check the influence of different risk of factors for bacterial contamination during the collection of ejaculate and the effects in boar extended semen quality. The experiment was conducted in four boar studs, where semen collection was observed, searching for possible risk of factors for bacterial contamination. The ejaculate and two extended semen doses, deriving from the observed collection, were evaluated in regard to numbers of colony-forming units (CFU), sperm morphology and motility, and pH. Water and extender samples were also evaluated for CFU. Long preputial hair (>1 cm), the hygiene of the collection glove, liquid trickling from the hand of the technician into the semen container and the duration of the collection were the four, from twelve factors evaluated, that lead to an increase in the percentage of ejaculates with more than 220 CFU mL-1 of aerobic mesophiles (P<0.05). The isolated or combined effect of seven factors (bad hygiene of boars, dirty preputial ostium, large preputial diverticulum, long preputial hair, dirty collecting glove, liquid trickling from the hand of the technician into the semen container and escape penis during the collection), that could directly result in the contamination of ejaculates was evaluated. There was a significant increase in the number of ejaculates contaminated with more than 220 CFU mL-1 when two or more factors were associated, compared to ejaculates obtained from collections without any predisponent factors. When the extended semen doses were classified according to the degree of contamination of the extender, a decrease in motility and pH and an increase on acrosome alterations in extended semen, during 168 hours of storage, were verified in the group where the degree of contamination was higher than 14,000 CFU mL-1 versus the group with lower than 330 CFU mL-1. Extended semen derived from more contaminated ejaculates showed a higher degree of bacterial contamination. Apparently, when the ejaculate was collected with minimum contamination protocol, its degree of contamination will hardly be able to produce effects in the extended semen quality, unless when the source of contamination was hygienic failure in the processing. The production of semen extended with high quality in the bacterial point of view will only be possible with a strict hygienic control in the processing, mostly in respect to water and extender, associated with minimum contamination protocol during the collection.

O objetivo do presente estudo foi verificar a influência de diferentes pontos de risco de contaminação bacteriana durante a coleta do ejaculado suíno e seus efeitos sobre a qualidade da dose inseminante (DI). O experimento foi realizado em quatro centros de difusão genética (CDG), nos quais as coletas dos ejaculados foram observadas buscando possíveis pontos de risco de contaminação. Posteriormente, o sêmen in natura e 2 DIs, provenientes da coleta observada, foram avaliados no que se refere à quantificação bacteriana, morfologia e motilidade espermática e pH. Além do ejaculado, amostras de água e diluente foram avaliadas quanto ao número de unidades formadoras de colônia (UFC). Pêlos prepuciais compridos (>1,0 cm), a higiene da luva de coleta, líquido pingando pela mão do coletador para o interior do recipiente de coleta e a duração da coleta foram os 4, dentre os 12 fatores avaliados, que levaram a um aumento no percentual de ejaculados com valor superior a 220 UFC mL-1 de mesófilos aeróbios (P<0,05). Foi avaliado o efeito isolado ou associado de sete fatores (reprodutor sujo, óstio prepucial sujo, divertículo prepucial grande, pêlos prepuciais compridos, luva de coleta suja, pingos pela mão do coletador para dentro do recipiente de coleta e pênis escapou durante a coleta) que pudessem resultar diretamente na contaminação do ejaculado. Houve aumento significativo do número de ejaculados com contaminação superior a 220 UFC mL-1, a partir da associação de 2 fatores, quando comparados aos ejaculados obtidos em coletas sem nenhum fator predisponente para contaminação. Ao classificar as DIs conforme o grau de contaminação do diluente foram observadas redução na motilidade e no pH e aumento nas alterações de acrossoma das DIs, ao longo das 168 horas de armazenamento, no grupo cujo grau de contaminação do diluente foi superior a 14000 UFC mL-1 versus o grupo com contaminação inferior a 330 UFC mL-1. Doses inseminantes provenientes de ejaculados mais contaminados apresentaram maior grau de contaminação bacteriana. Aparentemente, quando o ejaculado é coletado com um protocolo de contaminação mínima, dificilmente seu grau de contaminação será capaz de produzir efeitos deletérios na qualidade da DI, exceto quando a origem da contaminação for proveniente de falhas higiênicas na linha de processamento das mesmas. A produção de DIs com alta qualidade do ponto de vista bacteriano, somente será possível com um rigoroso controle higiênico na linha de processamento, principalmente no que diz respeito à água e ao diluente, associados a um protocolo de contaminação mínima durante a coleta. / The aim of this study was to check the influence of different risk of factors for bacterial contamination during the collection of ejaculate and the effects in boar extended semen quality. The experiment was conducted in four boar studs, where semen collection was observed, searching for possible risk of factors for bacterial contamination. The ejaculate and two extended semen doses, deriving from the observed collection, were evaluated in regard to numbers of colony-forming units (CFU), sperm morphology and motility, and pH. Water and extender samples were also evaluated for CFU. Long preputial hair (>1 cm), the hygiene of the collection glove, liquid trickling from the hand of the technician into the semen container and the duration of the collection were the four, from twelve factors evaluated, that lead to an increase in the percentage of ejaculates with more than 220 CFU mL-1 of aerobic mesophiles (P<0.05). The isolated or combined effect of seven factors (bad hygiene of boars, dirty preputial ostium, large preputial diverticulum, long preputial hair, dirty collecting glove, liquid trickling from the hand of the technician into the semen container and escape penis during the collection), that could directly result in the contamination of ejaculates was evaluated. There was a significant increase in the number of ejaculates contaminated with more than 220 CFU mL-1 when two or more factors were associated, compared to ejaculates obtained from collections without any predisponent factors. When the extended semen doses were classified according to the degree of contamination of the extender, a decrease in motility and pH and an increase on acrosome alterations in extended semen, during 168 hours of storage, were verified in the group where the degree of contamination was higher than 14,000 CFU mL-1 versus the group with lower than 330 CFU mL-1. Extended semen derived from more contaminated ejaculates showed a higher degree of bacterial contamination. Apparently, when the ejaculate was collected with minimum contamination protocol, its degree of contamination will hardly be able to produce effects in the extended semen quality, unless when the source of contamination was hygienic failure in the processing. The production of semen extended with high quality in the bacterial point of view will only be possible with a strict hygienic control in the processing, mostly in respect to water and extender, associated with minimum contamination protocol during the collection.

O objetivo do presente estudo foi verificar a influência de diferentes pontos de risco de contaminação bacteriana durante a coleta do ejaculado suíno e seus efeitos sobre a qualidade da dose inseminante (DI). O experimento foi realizado em quatro centros de difusão genética (CDG), nos quais as coletas dos ejaculados foram observadas buscando possíveis pontos de risco de contaminação. Posteriormente, o sêmen in natura e 2 DIs, provenientes da coleta observada, foram avaliados no que se refere à quantificação bacteriana, morfologia e motilidade espermática e pH. Além do ejaculado, amostras de água e diluente foram avaliadas quanto ao número de unidades formadoras de colônia (UFC). Pêlos prepuciais compridos (>1,0 cm), a higiene da luva de coleta, líquido pingando pela mão do coletador para o interior do recipiente de coleta e a duração da coleta foram os 4, dentre os 12 fatores avaliados, que levaram a um aumento no percentual de ejaculados com valor superior a 220 UFC mL-1 de mesófilos aeróbios (P<0,05). Foi avaliado o efeito isolado ou associado de sete fatores (reprodutor sujo, óstio prepucial sujo, divertículo prepucial grande, pêlos prepuciais compridos, luva de coleta suja, pingos pela mão do coletador para dentro do recipiente de coleta e pênis escapou durante a coleta) que pudessem resultar diretamente na contaminação do ejaculado. Houve aumento significativo do número de ejaculados com contaminação superior a 220 UFC mL-1, a partir da associação de 2 fatores, quando comparados aos ejaculados obtidos em coletas sem nenhum fator predisponente para contaminação. Ao classificar as DIs conforme o grau de contaminação do diluente foram observadas redução na motilidade e no pH e aumento nas alterações de acrossoma das DIs, ao longo das 168 horas de armazenamento, no grupo cujo grau de contaminação do diluente foi superior a 14000 UFC mL-1 versus o grupo com contaminação inferior a 330 UFC mL-1. Doses inseminantes provenientes de ejaculados mais contaminados apresentaram maior grau de contaminação bacteriana. Aparentemente, quando o ejaculado é coletado com um protocolo de contaminação mínima, dificilmente seu grau de contaminação será capaz de produzir efeitos deletérios na qualidade da DI, exceto quando a origem da contaminação for proveniente de falhas higiênicas na linha de processamento das mesmas. A produção de DIs com alta qualidade do ponto de vista bacteriano, somente será possível com um rigoroso controle higiênico na linha de processamento, principalmente no que diz respeito à água e ao diluente, associados a um protocolo de contaminação mínima durante a coleta. / The aim of this study was to check the influence of different risk of factors for bacterial contamination during the collection of ejaculate and the effects in boar extended semen quality. The experiment was conducted in four boar studs, where semen collection was observed, searching for possible risk of factors for bacterial contamination. The ejaculate and two extended semen doses, deriving from the observed collection, were evaluated in regard to numbers of colony-forming units (CFU), sperm morphology and motility, and pH. Water and extender samples were also evaluated for CFU. Long preputial hair (>1 cm), the hygiene of the collection glove, liquid trickling from the hand of the technician into the semen container and the duration of the collection were the four, from twelve factors evaluated, that lead to an increase in the percentage of ejaculates with more than 220 CFU mL-1 of aerobic mesophiles (P<0.05). The isolated or combined effect of seven factors (bad hygiene of boars, dirty preputial ostium, large preputial diverticulum, long preputial hair, dirty collecting glove, liquid trickling from the hand of the technician into the semen container and escape penis during the collection), that could directly result in the contamination of ejaculates was evaluated. There was a significant increase in the number of ejaculates contaminated with more than 220 CFU mL-1 when two or more factors were associated, compared to ejaculates obtained from collections without any predisponent factors. When the extended semen doses were classified according to the degree of contamination of the extender, a decrease in motility and pH and an increase on acrosome alterations in extended semen, during 168 hours of storage, were verified in the group where the degree of contamination was higher than 14,000 CFU mL-1 versus the group with lower than 330 CFU mL-1. Extended semen derived from more contaminated ejaculates showed a higher degree of bacterial contamination. Apparently, when the ejaculate was collected with minimum contamination protocol, its degree of contamination will hardly be able to produce effects in the extended semen quality, unless when the source of contamination was hygienic failure in the processing. The production of semen extended with high quality in the bacterial point of view will only be possible with a strict hygienic control in the processing, mostly in respect to water and extender, associated with minimum contamination protocol during the collection.

The aim of the current study was to determine if frozen-thawed bull semen can be treated with the acidic buffer MES (2-[N- morpholino] ethanesulfonic acid) without any detrimental effect on the motility, plasma membrane, acrosomal membrane and longevity of sperm. Frozen bull semen was obtained from a local co-operative. The semen was frozen in 0.25 mL French straws at a concentration of 80 x 106 sperm cells per millilitre. Semen of two different batches from ten bulls of four different breeds was used in this study. Three frozen semen straws of each batch were thawed at 38° C for 25 seconds. The thawed semen was pooled and then split into two aliquots. The one aliquot was used as control, whilst the other was exposed to MES treatment. The motility, plasma membrane integrity, acrosomal membrane integrity and longevity of sperm were evaluated. The effect of MES on motility was minimal as only the percentage of aberrantly motile sperm increased two hours after treatment. Although no effect on the plasma membranes were observed, it can be assumed that some damage did occur due to the fact that the acrosomal membranes were affected significantly. No significant effect was found for longevity of sperm between the control and treated samples, but a significant effect was found for both the control and treated samples over time. Although the detrimental effects caused by MES treatment would render some sperm unable to fertilise an oocyte, it is likely that a sufficient portion of sperm would survive the treatment. It is probable that this treatment would also be effective in frozen-thawed buffalo semen. The following step would be to treat semen of footand-mouth disease positive bulls with MES to establish if treatment with MES will be effective in inactivating foot-and-mouth disease virus in semen of infected bulls. Copyright / Dissertation (MSc (Veterinary Science))--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Production Animal Studies / unrestricted

No description available.

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1964 C288 / Master of Science

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1979 S34 / Master of Science

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1984 G728 / Master of Science

Objective markers to identify higher fertility individuals are needed to maximize livestock breeding success. Two heparin-binding proteins, which are reflective of fertility in bulls, have been biochemically identified as fertility-associated antigen (FAA) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-2 (TIMP-2). These four studies were designed to examine the importance of those proteins in relation to reproduction in bulls and other livestock species. In the first study, indirect immuno-fluorescent microscopy was performed to localize FAA and TIMP-2 to livestock sperm. FAA was localized on spermatozoal acrosomes of bulls and rams, but no cross-reactivity was observed for stallions. TIMP-2 labeling was observed on acrosomes and posterior heads, which was species dependent. Localization patterns for FAA and TIMP-2 were further investigated during heparin-induced capacitation and acrosome reactions of bovine sperm. In study two, an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed to determine concentrations of FAA in bovine seminal plasma (SP). A commercially available TIMP-2 ELISA was utilized to quantify TIMP-2. Respective mean concentrations of FAA and TIMP-2 in SP were 6.661.487 ug/ml and 1.180.045 mg/ml. Concentrations of FAA in SP did not correspond to bull fertility potential, however, older bulls with higher concentrations of TIMP-2 in SP sired more calves. The third study evaluated utility of an amplified fragment length polymorphism with bovine TIMP-2 gene specific primers to amplify a 700 bp genomic DNA (gDNA) product from sperm. From 53 bulls screened, 22.6% were negative for the 700 bp amplicon. There was a three-fold likelihood for 700 bp negative bulls to not sire a calf compared to 700 bp positive bulls. The product was cloned and sequenced, but no homology to TIMP-2 was detected. Therefore, the product represented novel bovine gDNA sequence. The fourth study identified an equine homologue to the bovine FAA gene. Immuno-based diagnostics had not detected FAA in stallion semen. The equine DNA homologue was 88.5% identical in nucleotide and 86% in amino acid sequences to bovine FAA. Subtle differences in the amino acid sequence are likely responsible for the inability to detect FAA in stallion semen with FAA antibodies to bovine FAA.