A study on the number of recovered spermatozoa in the uterine horns and oviducts of gilts, after fractionated or non-fractionated insemination

Abstract

The objective of this study was to compare the number of recovered spermatozoa, in different parts of the uterine horn and oviduct in gilts, after insemination with fractionated (experiment) and non-fractionated (control) liquid stored semen. The number of spermatozoa and volume of backflow was also investigated. Twenty three cross-bred gilts were used in the study. They were divided into 2 groups, a control group (non-fractionated liquid stored semen, n=10) which were inseminated with 100 ml of liquid stored semen containing 3,000 million spermatozoa per dose and an experimental group (fractionated liquid stored semen, n=10) which were inseminated with 50 ml of liquid stored semen, with 3,000 million spermatozoa per dose and followed by another 50 ml of semen dilutor (Beltsville Thawing Solution, BTS). Thereafter, backflow semen was collected and measured every 15 min for a period of 1 hr. Three or 12 hr after insemination, 5 gilts from each group had the uterus, the horn of the uterus, the oviducts and the ovaries removed under general anaesthesia. The horn of uterus and the oviducts were seperated by ligation into 6 segments. All 6 segments were flushed with BTS to collect all spermatozoa within the segment. Recovered spermatozoa were counted, using a haemocytometer and the volume recorded. It was seen that the percentage of spermatozoa in the backflow semen in the experimental group was less than in the control group. The difference was not significant in the gilts that were operated on 3 hr after insemination, the mean number of spermatozoa in the uterine horn and the utero-tubular junction (UTJ) was more in the experimental than in the control group, but less in the isthmus and the ampulla of the oviduct. The gilts which were operated on 12 hr after insemination, had relativity more ovulating gilts in the control group than in the experimental group (3 of 4 gilts compare to 3 of 5 gilts). The control group had more spermatozoa in the oviduct than the experimental group, but less in UTJ and in the horn of the uterus. Again the difference was not significant. It can be concluded that fractionated (experimental) or non-fractionated (control) insemination of semen with the same number of spermatozoa provides no significant difference in the number of spermatozoa either in the horn of the uterus, the UTJ or the oviduct of gilts.