Alternative Opportunities to Collect Semen and Sperm Cells for Ex Situ In Vitro Gene Conservation in Sheep

Malam Abulbashar Mujitaba, István Egerszegi (), Gabriella Kútvölgyi, Szabolcs Nagy, Nóra Vass and Szilárd Bodó
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Malam Abulbashar Mujitaba: Doctoral School of Animal Science, University of Debrecen, Böszörményi Street 138, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
István Egerszegi: Department of Animal Husbandry and Animal Welfare, Institute of Animal Sciences, Szent István Campus, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Páter Károly Street 1, H-2100 Gödöllő, Hungary
Gabriella Kútvölgyi: Department of Precision Livestock Farming and Animal Biotechnics, Institute of Animal Sciences, Kaposvár Campus, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Guba Sándor Street 40, H-7400 Kaposvár, Hungary
Szabolcs Nagy: Department of Precision Livestock Farming and Animal Biotechnics, Institute of Animal Sciences, Georgikon Campus, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Deák F. Street 16, H-8360 Keszthely, Hungary
Nóra Vass: Institute of Animal Science, Biotechnology and Nature Conservation, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences and Environmental Management, University of Debrecen, Böszörményi Street 138, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
Szilárd Bodó: Department of Precision Livestock Farming and Animal Biotechnics, Institute of Animal Sciences, Kaposvár Campus, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Guba Sándor Street 40, H-7400 Kaposvár, Hungary

Agriculture, 2022, vol. 12, issue 12, 1-17

Abstract: The semen of domestic mammals is conventionally collected with an artificial vagina (AV) for artificial insemination (AI) or for short- or long-term storage. However, the procedure has certain drawbacks: animal training is not feasible in extensive animal care systems nor among wild species, as the trained animals sometimes fail to mount. Hence, there is a need for alternative semen collection methods. Electroejaculation (EEJ) and epididymal sperm recovery (ESR) are the two effective alternatives to AV. However, in recent years, animal welfare campaigners have called for the ban, in certain EU countries, of EEJ due to its inhumane nature. In this review, alternative methods of sperm collection (by EEJ and ESR, their qualities, and their freezing techniques) are highlighted, as well as the effects of EEJ on pre-freeze and post-thaw ram sperm quality parameters and the animal welfare progress made in EEJ between the 20th and 21st centuries. Additionally, the techniques for enhancing post-thaw sperm quality prior to freezing and for the freezing of EEJ and ESR spermatozoa are explored. ESR and EEJ are reliable alternatives to AV on certain occasions. EEJ is ideal for semen collection in wild or untrained animals, breeding soundness examinations, collection outside of the breeding season, and culling. At the same time, ESR is ideal in cases of castration, accidental death of elite sire, or postmortem for gene conservation purposes or assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) studies.

Keywords: ram semen collection; semen quality; epididymis; animal welfare; artificial vagina; ex situ in vitro gene conservation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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