Artificial Insemination - Donkey

Jack semen has been preserved successfully since the 1950s (Nishikawa, 1959). A few studies have used fertility trials with frozen jack semen (Glatzel et al, 1981). Techniques used for stallion semen are applicable to jack semen with some modifications (Glatzel et al, 1981; Singhvi, 1990; Purdy, 2005b; Tibary et al, 2006).

Motility is maintained in skim milk extenders at 5°C for 72 to 96 hours and fertility remains acceptable for 48 hours. Studies on the effect of seminal plasma on preservation at 5°C are contradictory. Some studies (e.g. Mello et al, 2000) show that the elimination of seminal plasma by centrifugation or by collection of the sperm-rich fraction does not improve the longevity of cooled semen; others find that the elimination of seminal plasma is beneficial. Survival of semen is 96 hours in INRA82 extender after centrifugation in skim milk at 4°C. Preservation at 15°C causes less membrane damage than at 5°C (Serres et al, 2002). The effect of seminal plasma may be dependent on breed and the individual (Mello et al, 2000).

Lactose/egg yolk extender was reported to be better than Kenny’s extender in some studies for cooling to 5°C (Cottorello et al, 2002). Cooling rates of -0.6°C/minutes and -1.0°C/minutes until 4 to 6°C are better than rates of -3°C/minutes (Ferreria and Henry, 1992; Santos et al, 1994).

Artificial insemination every other day with 250 million spermatozoa resulted in a conception rate of 80% (Ferreria and Henry, 1992). Jack semen is frozen in the same manner as horse semen. The authors (Tibary, A., Sghiri, A. & Bakkoury, M.) obtained a 20% pregnancy rate in mares inseminated for mule production with 200 million spermatozoa (Glatzel et al, 1981).

Improvements in the ability to freeze semen have been achieved by reducing the amount of glycerol, using only the sperm-rich fraction with the addition of L-glutamine at 80 mM and replacing hen egg yolk with quail egg yolk. Pregnancy rates obtained with semen frozen in these conditions (AI daily until ovulation, 600 million spermatozoa) improved from 0 to 38% after glycerol removal (Trimeche et al, 1998; Tibary et al, 2006).

References

• Tibary, A., Sghiri, A. & Bakkoury, M. (2008) Reproduction In Svendsen, E.D., Duncan, J. and Hadrill, D. (2008) The Professional Handbook of the Donkey, 4th edition, Whittet Books, Chapter 17

• Cottorello, A.C.P., Amancio, R.C., Henry, M., and Borges, I. (2002). ‘Effect of storage temperature and extenders on “in vitro” activity of donkey spermatozoa’. Theriogenology 58. pp 325-328.
• Ferreira, M.F.L., Henry, M. (1992). ‘Effect of cooling rates and seminal extenders on sperm longevity and fertility in donkeys’. 12th ICAR, 1992, The Hague, Netherlands. pp 1406-1408.
• Glatzel, P., Kadir, E., and Tibary, A. (1981). ‘Pferde- und Eselhenge der marokkanischen Landespferde- un Maultierzucht. Erste Ergebnisse aus dem Einsatz von Flussig- un Gefriersamen fur die Maultierproduktion’. Berl Munch Tierarztl Wochenschr 94. pp 445-448.
• Mello, S.L.V., Henry, M., Souza, M.A., and Oliveira, S.M.P. (2000). ‘Effect of split ejaculation and seminal extenders on longevity of donkey semen preserved at 5C’. Arquivo Brasileiro de Medicina Veterinaria E Zootecnia 52. pp 372-378.
• Nishikawa, Y. (1959). ‘Semen properties and artificial insemination in horses’. Studies on Reproduction in Horses. Kyoto, Japan. p 208.
• Purdy, S.R. (2005b). ‘Ultrasound examination of the female miniature donkey reproductive tract’. in: Veterinary Care of Donkeys. N.S. Matthews and T.S. Taylor (eds). International Veterinary information Service, Ithaca NY (www.ivis.org), last updated: 11 May 2005; A2925.0505.
• Santos, G.F., Henry, M., Sampaio, I.B.M., and Gastal, E.L. (1994). ‘Effect of cooling system and rates on sperm quality of donkey semen preserved at 5ºC ’. Proceedings VIth International Symposium Equine Reproduction. pp 195-196.
• Serres, C., Rodrigues, A., Alvarez, A.L., Santiago, I., Gabriel, J., Gomez-Cuetara, C., and Mateos, E. (2002). ‘Effect of centrifugation and temperature on the motility and plasma membrane integrity of Zamorano-Leones donkey semen’. Theriogenology 58. pp 329-332.
• Singhvi, N. (1990). ‘Studies on artificial insemination in equines’. Indian J Anim Reprd. 11. pp 99-104.
• Tibary, A., Sghiri, A., Bakkoury, M., and Anouassi, A. (2006). ‘Insémination artificielle’. Reproduction Equine Tome III: Biotechnologies Appliquées, A.Tibary and M. Bakkoury (eds). Actes Editions, Morocco, 2006. pp 9-155.
• Trimeche, A., Renard, P., and Tainturier, D. (1998). ‘A procedure for Poitou jacakass sperm cryopreservation’. Theriogenology 50. pp 793-806.

ARTIFICIAL BREEDING - DONKEY

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