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Some Semen Characteristics in Dairy Bulls Ejaculated with Artificial Vaginas at Varying Temperatures¹

Department of Dairy, Michigan State University, East Lansing

ABSTRACT

First ejaculates were taken twice weekly from 12 mature dairy bulls, to determine the influence of five different internal temperatures of artificial vaginas between 39 and 56 C on semen characteristics. The sequence of application of the five temperature treatments was at random for each bull. Second ejaculates from each bull were obtained, using temperatures of 47–48 C. Average first-ejaculate values for semen volume from the lowest to highest temperatures were 6.95, 7.05, 6.99, 6.73, and 6.91 ml, respectively; for sperm concentration, 1.14, 1.15, 1.13, 1.14, and 1.27 billion per millilliter, respectively; and for total sperm, 7.86, 8.46, 7.79, 7.61, and 8.70 billion, respectively. Sperm concentration and total sperm numbers were greatest at the 55–56 C temperatures (P < 0.01 and P 0.07, respectively). These high temperatures occasionally caused reduced sperm motility. Results indicated that any artificial vagina temperature from 39 to 52 C is satisfactory, at least for occasional use in routine ejaculation of mature bulls.

¹ Journal Article 3763 from the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station.

² NIH Predoctoral Fellow.