The effect of different concentrations of laminarin on the quality of cryopreserved ram semen.

BACKGROUND Increasingly, sheep breeders are using artificial insemination to produce lambs, so finding methods that preserve ram sperm can be useful. OBJECTIVE To determine the protective effects of different concentrations of laminarin on ram sperm motility, viability, abnormalities, membrane, and DNA integrity, superoxide dismutase enzyme (SOD) activity, and malondialdehyde (MDA) production after freeze-thawing. MATERIALS AND METHODS The ejaculates of four rams were collected and stored at 35 degree C. Semen samples were diluted with a tris-base extender containing 100, 200, 400, and 800 ug/mL of laminarin and a control extender containing no laminarin, then frozen in liquid nitrogen after 4 h in the refrigerator. RESULTS In the treatment of frozen-thawed spermatozoa with 800 ug/mL laminarin, motility, viability, membrane integrity, and DNA integrity were significantly higher than in the control. In spermatozoa that were exposed to 800 ug/mL laminarin after thawing, MDA production was significantly lower than in the control group. The percentage of abnormal spermatozoa in 800 ug/mL laminarin was significantly lower than that in the control. CONCLUSION The addition of 800 ug/mL laminarin to the freezing extender increases motility, viability, SOD activity, and plasma membrane integrity, while reducing abnormality and MDA production in freeze-thawed ram semen. https://doi.org/10.54680/fr24110110812.