Epididymal sperm quality of Kacang goat preserved in low temperature for genetic material utilization in assisted reproductive technologies

Abstract

Postmortem epidydimal preservation at low temperature (3-4 C), is a way to preserve and recover male genetic material. This effort aims for prolonging male function as sperm source, followed with its utilization in assisted reproductive technologies. This study aimed to observe the quality of sperm form cauda epididymis which preserved at low temperature for consecutive days. Sperm were retrieved from twelve cauda epididymis of Kacang Goat and its qualities namely motility, intact membrane, life/dead, and abnormality (all in %) were evaluated in every 2 days until 0% motility. Data were compared using analysis of variance at a = 0.05. Result shows significant (P<0.05) decrease in motility, intact membrane, and life/dead, but increase in abnormality during observation at day 0, day 2, day 4 and day 6, respectively. At the respective days, motility was 91.33 1.25%; 74.67 3.88%; 28.17 2.25% and 0.33 0.57%, intact membrane was 54.83 1.04%; 39 3.77%; 25.1 3.32% and 14.83 2.75%, life/dead was 55.17 4.01%; 36 3.5%; 24.3 3.25% and 12 2.78%, abnormality was 3.16 0.76%; 4.16 0.76%; 6.16 2.25% and 11 2.17%. According to the study, it is concluded that preserved sperm from cauda epididymis at low temperature shows decrease in quality and its utilization should rely on the quality status to select the most appropriate assisted reproductive technology.