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The Bacteriology of Bull Semen. II. The Effect of Bacteria upon Rapid Tests for Semen Quality

Laboratory of Bacteriology and Department of Animal Husbandry, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York

ABSTRACT

1. When sanitary precautions are observed, the number of bacteria found in freshly drawn semen or freshly prepared yolk-citrate diluent is not sufficient to interfere with the methylene blue reduction test for semen quality.
   
2. The short-time-high-temperature incubation test for semen quality may kill up to 50 per cent of the bacteria present when the test is run at 45° C. or above in the presence of methylene blue. A temperature of 46.5° C is recommended.
   
3. The methylene blue reduction test is not recommended as a criterion of the quality of semen stored more than 2 days.
   
4. The short-time-high-temperature incubation test is recommended as a criterion of continued livability of the spermatozoa in stored semen samples.
   
5. Though the bacterial population of stored samples can be controlled by proper precautions, factors other than the number of bacteria, and the activity and concentration of the spermatozoa are involved in the methylene blue reduction rate of stored samples.