Evaluation of spermatological parameters used to predict the fertility of frozen bull semen.

Abstract

Post-thaw motility, velocity and acrosome integrity of frozen semen were determined in 18 bulls with varying fertility (average non-return rates: 71.3 (+/- 2.8)--range: 65.2-75.7). Five semen straws were investigated from each bull. The average values for sperm motility (percentage motile spermatozoa), sperm velocity (graded from 0-3) and acrosome integrity (proportion of spermatozoa with intact acrosome) were 67.5%, 2.5 and 79.3%, respectively. Significant correlations were found between sperm motility and velocity, but not between sperm motility and acrosome integrity. Both sperm motility and velocity were significantly related to bull fertility. It was concluded that of the post-thaw semen characteristics investigated in this study these 2 parameters provided a reliable basis for prediction of bull fertility.