DefinePK

Abstract

The detrimental effect of reactions of seminal plasma in goat semen with common components of extenders is known and has been the point of focus on developing appropriate extender for goat semen. The current study compared post-extension semen viability parameters of a laboratory generated, coconut water-egg yolk-based extender (COC), against similar parameters of semen extended in a commercial extender – OPTIXcell™ (OPT), to approve COC for extending goat semen for further processing with and without seminal plasma. Semen was collected from four mature Alpine goats serially, three times, three days apart. Each ejaculate was split into two and one part had seminal plasma removed while the other part had intact seminal plasma. Respective portions were further split into two for extension with each of the extenders. Semen viability parameters were then compared within two hours of extension. Semen evaluation parameters included individual progressive motility and percentage live spermatozoa.The results showed that individual progressive motility of the spermatozoa significantly reduced in presence and absence of seminal plasma following extension with each extender (p<0.05). Similarly, the percentage of live spermatozoa reduced significantly in samples where seminal plasma was removed (p<0.05). However, both extenders maintained the percentage of live spermatozoa at similar level to pre-extension when seminal plasma was intact (p>0.05). This implied that the process of removal of seminal plasma was one of the factors responsible for death of spermatozoa. The observed reductions in viability parameters were within values acceptable for further processing of the semen using the Kenyan standards of bull semen evaluation. Semen samples extended with each of the extenders with and without seminal plasma were therefore approved for further processing. The laboratory generated, coconut water-egg yolk-based extender as constituted for purposes of this study, was thereby approved for extending goat semen for further processing.