DMEM and FBS as thawing solutions for frozen semen of pigs can improve sperm motility and sow reproductive performance

Abstract

The purpose of this experiment was to investigate the effects of Beltsville thawing solution (BTS), Androhep, and Dulbecco’smodified Eagle medium + Fatal bovine serum (D-F) as diluents of frozen semen on sperm motility and sow reproductive performance.In experiment 1, boar semen was collected and diluted to 2.0 × 109/60 mL, 1.5 × 109/60 mL, and 1.5 × 109/40 mL with Androhep. Theappropriate semen dose was determined by postcervical insemination. In experiment 2, boar semen was fumigated with liquid nitrogenand thawed semen was diluted to 1.5 × 109/40 mL with D-F, Androhep, and BTS, respectively. The effects of above diluents on spermmotility and sow reproductive performance were studied by postcervical insemination. The appropriate semen dose for postcervicalinsemination was 1.5 × 109/40 mL. After thawing of frozen semen, sperm motility of semen diluted with D-F was significantly higherthan that of semen diluted with Androhep and BTS. There was no significant difference in pregnancy rates among sows via artificialinsemination. The litter size of sows using D-F diluted semen was significantly higher than that of sows using Androhep and BTS dilutedsemen. In conclusion, D-F freezing diluent can improve sperm motility of frozen boar semen after thawing, prolong sperm survivaltime, and increase sow reproductive performance.