Influence of Different Cryoprotocols and Strains on the Sperm Viability of FUNAAB Alpha Chickens

Semen preservation is an essential tool used for a successful application of artificial insemination in livestock industry. Studies on semen quality characteristics on poultry breeds and strains after cryopreservation have been carried out but none has been reported for Nigeria FUNAAB alpha chickens. Three studies were carried out to evaluate the different cryoprotocols on viability of cryopreserved spermatozoa of FUNAAB alpha chickens.

Thirty cocks 25-30 weeks old of normal feather, naked neck and frizzle feather of FUNAAB alpha chickens were used for this experiment. The semen samples were diluted in Tris-based extender. The semen samples were divided into 2 parts. One part washed with normal saline water by centrifuging at 500xg once for 5 minutes in order to remove seminal plasma while the second part was unwashed. Washed and unwashed semen samples were cryopreserved using slow and rapid cryoprotocols, thereafter samples were evaluated for sperm viability. The experiment was laid out in 3x2x2 factorial arrangement. Data obtained were subjected to two-way ANOVA. Higher (p<0.05) motility was observed in washed spermatozoa from Frizzled Feather (FF) subjected to slow freezing (SF) compared to others strains either washed or unwashed, SF or RF protocols. Lower (p<0.05) motility of washed spermatozoa from Normal Feather (NF), Naked Neck (NN) and Frizzled Feather (FF) subjected to rapid freezing (RF) were comparable with washed spermatozoa from NN and unwashed NN subjected to SF and RF. Results for livability, acrosome integrity, seminal Leukocytes and MDA concentration were comparable (p>0.05) for unwashed and washed spermatozoa from NN, NF and FF, subjected to slow and rapid freezing cryoprotocols.

The study concluded that slow and rapid freezing cryoprotocols had a deleterious effect on the spermatozoa of NF, NN, FF and removal of seminal plasma through centrifugation did not improve the viability of the spermatozoa.