Sperm quality of Zemplin Rabbit and Liptov Bold-Spotted Rabbit breeds

Jakub VOZAF; Andrea SVORADOVÁ; Andrej BALÁŽI; Lenka KUŽELOVÁ; Jaromír VAŠÍČEK; Alexander V. MAKAREVICH; Peter CHRENEK

doi:10.59913/dagr.2023.12358

Jakub VOZAF Slovak University of Agriculture, Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Science, Nitra, Slovak Republic, 94976, Tr. A. Hlinku 2
Andrea SVORADOVÁ Department of Morphology, Physiology and Animal Genetics, Faculty of Agri Sciences, Mendel University in Brno, Czech Republic, 613 00, Zemědělská 1/1665
Andrej BALÁŽI NPPC, Research Institute for Animal Production, Nitra, Slovak Republic, 95141, Lužianky, Hlohovecká 2
Lenka KUŽELOVÁ Slovak University of Agriculture, Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Science, Nitra, Slovak Republic, 94976, Tr. A. Hlinku 2
Jaromír VAŠÍČEK Slovak University of Agriculture, Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Science, Nitra, Slovak Republic, 94976, Tr. A. Hlinku 2
Alexander V. MAKAREVICH NPPC, Research Institute for Animal Production, Nitra, Slovak Republic, 95141, Lužianky, Hlohovecká 2
Peter CHRENEK Slovak University of Agriculture, Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Science, Nitra, Slovak Republic, 94976, Tr. A. Hlinku 2

DOI: https://doi.org/10.59913/dagr.2023.12358

Keywords: rabbit, spermatozoa, CASA, flow cytometry

Abstract

Zemplin Rabbit and Liptov Bold-Spotted Rabbit are Slovak national breeds. Our aim was to characterize the sperm quality of these two breeds, as these characteristics are important for artificial insemination and cryopreservation as biodiversity conservation tools. For this evaluation, sperm samples of sexually mature Zemplin Rabbit (ZR) males (n = 6) and Liptov Bold-Spotted Rabbits (LR) (n = 4) were used. According to progressive motility (PM) data (CASA), samples were divided into two groups: A (>30% PM) and B (<30% PM). In addition to PM (ZR-A: 48.6±3.8%, ZR-B: 16±3.2%, LR-A: 35.38±2.6%, LR-B: 4±2.2%), total motility (TM) (ZR-A: 69.1±4.1%, ZR-B: 35.5±4.1%, LR-A: 59.1±3%, LR-B: 26.9±4.1%) and morphological abnormalities (ZR-A: 29.7±1.2%, ZR-B: 40±4%, LR-A: 34.3±4.3%, LR-B: 48.3±4.7%) were also assessed using the CASA system. The proportion of dead/live, apoptotic and oxidative damaged spermatozoa (Spz) was assessed by flow cytometry using fluorescent dyes: SYBR-14, Sytox Green, Yo-Pro-1 and CellROX Green, respectively. The results of flow cytometry correspond to the values of motility and morphometry. Sperm with PM less than 30% does not show proper quality values, while the sperm with PM higher than 30% is suitable for further analysis and use.

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