Li Chenxuan, Liu Chenxi, Chen Yingqi, Zhao Yuting, Tan Meiling, He Bin
Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology & Biochemistry, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health & Food Safety, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
Animals (Basel). 2024 Sep 19;14(18):2711. doi: 10.3390/ani14182711.
Boar semen is commonly used in artificial insemination (AI) for pig breeding, but its quality can be negatively affected by liquid preservation and transportation, leading to reduced fertility rates. Vibration and temperature fluctuations are critical factors that significantly impact semen quality during storage and transportation, influencing the success rate of AI procedures. Betaine, a naturally occurring compound known for its role in maintaining male fertility, demonstrates potential for improving the preservation and transportation of liquid-preserved boar sperm. The present study demonstrated that betaine supplementation in the semen extenders at 0.5 mg/mL had a significant protective effect on boar sperm motility during storage at 17 °C for 3 to 5 days. During road transportation, 2.5 mg/mL betaine showed significant protective effects on boar sperm progressive motility, while 0.4 mg/mL betaine notably improved boar sperm mitochondrial activity and antioxidant capacity, and reduced lipid peroxidation damage. Simulation models also demonstrated that betaine supplementation increased the proportion of sperm displaying progressive motility and possessing intact acrosomes, regardless of the storage temperature (17 °C or 25 °C), and effectively mitigated the damage caused by vibration at a speed of 200 r/min. Overall, supplementing liquid-preserved boar semen extenders with betaine shows promise in mitigating damage to sperm quality during storage and transportation.
公猪精液常用于猪的人工授精（AI）繁殖，但精液质量会受到液体保存和运输的负面影响，导致受精率降低。振动和温度波动是在储存和运输过程中显著影响精液质量的关键因素，进而影响人工授精程序的成功率。甜菜碱是一种天然存在的化合物，因其在维持雄性生育能力方面的作用而闻名，它在改善液体保存的公猪精子的保存和运输方面具有潜力。本研究表明，在精液稀释液中添加0.5 mg/mL的甜菜碱，对17℃储存3至5天的公猪精子活力有显著的保护作用。在公路运输过程中，2.5 mg/mL的甜菜碱对公猪精子的前向运动有显著的保护作用，而0.4 mg/mL的甜菜碱显著提高了公猪精子的线粒体活性和抗氧化能力，并减少了脂质过氧化损伤。模拟模型还表明，无论储存温度是17℃还是25℃，添加甜菜碱都能增加显示前向运动和具有完整顶体的精子比例，并有效减轻以200 r/min速度振动造成的损伤。总体而言，在液体保存的公猪精液稀释液中添加甜菜碱有望减轻储存和运输过程中对精子质量的损害。
