Effects of season on semen parameters and relationships between selected semen characteristics in Hypor boars

Authors: KRZYSZTOF GÓRSKI, STANISLAW KONDRACKI, ANNA WYSOKINSKA

Abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the season of the year on the quality of Hypor boar semen and to determine the correlations between selected semen characteristics in particular seasons. Ejaculates from Hypor boars were analyzed for volume, sperm concentration, percentage of spermatozoa with normal motility, total number of spermatozoa, and the number of insemination doses per ejaculate. Microscopic slides were prepared from semen samples. Each sample was evaluated for the morphology of spermatozoa. Spermatozoa with normal morphology were counted, as well as those with both major and minor abnormalities. Spermatozoa were measured for morphometric traits. Ejaculates were grouped by the season of collection: winter, spring, summer, and autumn. Correlation coefficients were calculated between sperm morphometric traits and the concentration and total count of spermatozoa in ejaculates. In spring and winter, sperm concentrations are higher compared to ejaculates collected in summer and autumn. In spring and summer, ejaculates contain spermatozoa of greatest motility. In spring, sperm cells have largest head dimensions. In autumn, spermatozoa are smallest in terms of dimensions. Significant correlations were observed between sperm concentration and total number of sperm in ejaculates vs. morphometric dimensions of sperm heads in Hypor boars' semen in the autumn, winter, and summer.

Keywords: Boar, seasonal changes, ejaculate, sperm morphometry

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