KAFKAS UNIVERSITESI VETERINER FAKULTESI DERGISI, cilt.18, sa.3, ss.475-480, 2012 (SCI-Expanded)
The effect of two different temperatures (4 degrees C and 15 degrees C) on motility, plasma membrane integrity, acrosome abnormality and DNA damage of rabbit spermatozoa was evaluated at 0 and 24 h of liquid storage. Ejaculates collected from six New Zealand male rabbits by artificial vagina and pooled at 37 degrees C following evaluation. Pooled ejaculate was divided into two equal aliquots and diluted with the Tris based semen extender at a final concentration of approximately 40x10(6) sperms/ml in a Eppendorf plastic tube. There were no significant differences in the percentage of above mentioned parameters between 4 degrees C or 15 degrees C at the beginning of liquid storage (0 h). The percentages of motility (75.0+/-1.83%) and plasma membrane functional integrity (71.2+/-1.14%) at 15 degrees C was significantly better than that of liquid stored semen at 4 degrees C (67.9+/-1.01% and 65.3+/-1.38%, P<0.05, respectively) at 24 h of storage. The percentage of acrosome abnormality at 24 h wasn't affected by the different storage temperature. The influence of storage temperature and the length of time on spermatozoa DNA damage was found statistically significant (P<0.001). The storage period for up to 24 h lead to an increase in the percentage of spermatozoa DNA damage (P<0.001). The percentages of DNA damage at 4 degrees C was statistically higher than 15 degrees C (P<0.001). In conclusion, 15 degrees C may be prefered when liquid stored rabbit semen are used for 24 h.