Effect of Cold Storage on the Quality of Epididymal Semen of Slaughterhouse Derived Buck Testes

Abstract

The present study was carried out on 48 pairs of testicles from mature bucks, irrespective of breed, slaughtered at local abattoirs of
Faizabad and Sultanpur districts, UP and at AL-Nafees Protein Pvt. Ltd., Mewat, Haryana. The testicles were collected and stored in plastic
bags in ice chest at 4°C and immediately transferred to the laboratory. The testicles were randomly divided into six storage groups, i.e.,
6, 12, 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours; eight pairs of testicles in each group. After completion of storage time, testes of respective storage groups
were cleaned with physiological saline solution, and the fascia, blood vessels, and sheath were removed using BP blade and thumb
forceps. The various epididymal seminal attributes assessed were semen volume, sperm concentration, total sperm recovery, sperm
motility, viability, abnormality, and HOS reactivity using standard procedures. The volume of epididymal semen harvested differed
significantly with storage time. The sperm concentration did not vary significantly up to 48 hours of storage; sperm motility and viability
did not differ significantly up to 12 hours of cold storage, while there was a progressive increase in abnormality and decrease in HOS
reactivity. Thus, cold storage preservation and harvesting of epididymal semen up to 48 hours can be made to conserve the fertility of
precious dead/slaughtered buck.