Comparative evaluation of two methods of spermatic recovery of epididymis bovine post-mortem

Abstract

Determine the appropriate method to recover bovine’s epididymal sperm in different post-mortem recovery
times was the objective of the current studies. Testicles from 50 bulls of different breeds and ages, sanitary
status, were obtained after the sacrifice of it in the slaughterhouse located in Loja city, Ecuador; testing two
methods of seminal collection: retrograde wash and slicing. The testicles/epididymal were transported in
0.9% sodium chloride solution and storaged during 2, 4, 8, 12 and 24 hours at 5ºC, to test spermatic quality
in relation with passed time from its sacrifice, to the sperm collection in the laboratory. The evaluated
parameters were: mass motility, individual motility, percentage of viable sperm, and normal. In the analysis
of the results descriptive statistics were used and for the variance analysis Tukey test were used to
determine the statistical differences between averages. The epididymal spermatozoa showed: mass motility
60.4% ± 4.75; Individual motility 50.7% ± 4.75; Vitality 60.6% ± 3.85; Abnormalities 8.78% ± 1.4; there is no

significant difference (p>0.05) between protocols, getting average volumes of 2.2±05 ml, concentration of
63.08% ± 2.05, the percentage of living sperm was more when the method of retrograde wash was used. It
is concluded that is possible collect living sperm from the post-mortem epididymis bull’s tail, being its vitality
directly proportional to the storage time.