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Technology and Engineering
- ISSN: 2375-9402
- Modern Agricultural Science and Technology
Effect of the Addition of Antioxidants in the Rabbit
Semen Extender on the Fertility and Prolificacy
Marcos Puente, I. Covelo, and C. M. Tartaglione
Laboratory of Animal Reproduction, National University of Lomas de Zamora, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the protective effect of antioxidants on reactive oxygen species formation in rabbit semen refrigerated. In the first stage, the semen with the addition of TCG extender was divided into three aliquots: a control, an aliquot with the addition of ascorbic acid and an aliquot with the addition of α-tocoferol. The semen was evaluated at the time of extraction and after 24 hours and 48 hours of storage in a refrigerated container at 15°C. There were no significant differences in the variables studied (p < 0.05) however, the results showed that the addition of antioxidants mildly improved semen parameters evaluated. Prolificity and fertility did not differ significantly with the addition antioxidants. After artificially inseminating the females, the prolificity evaluated in the average number of broods per litter resulted in 8 vs 6.9 with and without ascorbic acid, and 8.5 vs 7 with and without α-tocopherol respectively, while the fertility rate obtained was 91.6% and 90.9% with and without ascorbic acid and 81.2% and 80% with and without α-tocopherol respectively. We can conclude that the fertility and prolificacy of females inseminated with semen diluted with
TCG supplemented with antioxidants under refrigeration at 15°C for 24 hs gave the same satisfactory results.
Key words: antioxidants, artificial insemination, rabbit, semen
