Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-rdxmf Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T12:13:41.696Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Cryopreservation of poultry semen: a review

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 September 2007

F. Bellagamba
Affiliation:
Istituto di Zootecnica Facoltà de Medicina Veterinaria, via Celoria 10, 20133 Milan, Italy
S. Cerolini
Affiliation:
IDVGA-CNR, via Celoria 10, 20133 Milan, Italy
L.G. Cavalchini
Affiliation:
Istituto di Zootecnica Facoltà de Medicina Veterinaria, via Celoria 10, 20133 Milan, Italy
Get access

Abstract

Although still in the experimental phase, the technique of freezing domestic fowl semen may prove of interest and value to the industry. Various stages of the application of this method of preservation still need to be improved. One of the most critical aspects is the choice of cryoprotectant and its use during the process of freezing and thawing. While glycerol has a better cryopreservative action than other cryoprotectants in domestic fowl semen, it exerts a widely demonstrated contraceptive action, the mechanism of which has not yet been clarified. Thus the use of glycerol as a cryoprotectant must be accompanied by its complete removal before insemination.

The fertilizing capacity of semen preserved by freezing is notably less than that of fresh (non-preserved) material and has been evaluated as 1.6% and 19.7%. Genetic influences appear to affect spermatozoan response and tolerance to thermal treatments resulting in differences in subsequent fertility. Most studies using fowl semen report final freezing temperatures between –79°C and –196°C, a cooling rate of 1–10°C/minute and a thawing rate of 50–70°C/minute.

Straws have been found to be more satisfactory containers than glass vials or ampoules for preserving semen from domestic fowl.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1993

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Ansah, G.A. and Buckland, R.B. (1982) Genetic variation in fowl semen cholesterol and phospholipid levels and relationships of these lipids with fertility of frozen-thawed and fresh semen. Poultry Science 61: 623637CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ansah, G.A. and Buckland, R.B. (1983) Eight generations of selection for duration of fertility of frozen-thawed semen in the chicken. Poultry Science 62: 15291538CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bakst, M.R. and Howarth, B. Jr. (1977) The effect of glycerol and its removal on cock spermatozoa concanavalin A and cationized ferritin binding sites. Poultry Science 56: 13181323CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bakst, M.R. and Sexton, T.J. (1979) Fertilizing capacity and ultrastructure of fowl and turkey spermatozoa before and after freezing. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility 55: 17CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bentley, L.G., Ansah, G.A. and Buckland, R.B. (1984) Seminal plasma proteins of a line of chickens selected for fertility of frozen-thawed semen and the control line. Poultry Science 63: 14441445CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Brillard, J.P. (1990a) Sperm transport through the oviduct of fowls and turkeys. Reproduction, Nutrition, Development 30: 175182CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brillard, J.P. (1990b) Storage of spermatozoa in the oviduct of birds: a morphological, histological and functional approach. Reproduction, Nutrition, Development 30: 161174CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cassou, R. (1968) La miniaturisation des paillettes. Proceedings of 7th International Congress of Animal Reproduction and Artificial Insemination, Paris 2: 10091029Google Scholar
Clark, C.E., and Shaffner, C.S. (1960) The fertilizing capacity of frozen chicken sperm and the influence of related in vitro process. Poultry Science 39: 12131220CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Delee, J.A., Harris, G.C. Jr. and Macy, L.B. (1991) The in vitro responses of vaginal tissue and chicken spermatozoa to glycerol. Poultry Science 70: 14411443CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Duplaix, M. and Sexton, T.J. (1984) Effects of type of freeze straw and thaw temperature on the fertilizing capacity of frozen chicken semen. Poultry Science 63: 775780CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Engel, H.N., Froman, D.P. and Kirby, J.D. (1991) An improved procedure for intramagnal insemination of the chicken. Poultry Science 70: 19651969CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Etches, R.J., Williamson, R.G., Reinhart, B.S. and MacPherson, J.W. (1980) A comparison of several extenders and methods for freezing avian semen. Proceedings of 9th International Congress on Animal Reproduction and Artificial Insemination, Madrid 8: 43Google Scholar
Harris, G.C. Jr., Thurston, R.J. and Cundall, J. (1973) Changes in the ultrastructure of the fowl spermatozoon due to rapid freeze-thaw. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility 34: 389394CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lada-Gorzowska, A., Krawczyk, E., Fima, D. and Watanabe, M. (1978) Freezing of fowl semen (Gallus domesticus). Journal of the Faculty of Fish and Animal Husbandry, Hiroshima University 17: 143146Google Scholar
Lake, P.E. (1968) Observations of freezing fowl spermatozoa in liquid nitrogen. Proceedings of 14th World Poultry Congress, Madrid 2: 279282Google Scholar
Lake, P.E. (1986) The history and future of the cryopreservation of avian germ plasm. Poultry Science 65: 115CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lake, P.E. and Ravie, O. (1982) Dimethylacetamide as a cryoprotectant for fowl spermatozoa. Poultry Science 61: 1497 (Abstract)Google Scholar
Lake, P.E. and Ravie, O. (1984) An exploration of cryoprotective compounds for fowl spermatozoa. British Poultry Science 25: 145150CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lake, P.E. and Stewart, J.M. (1978) Artificial insemination in poultry. Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food — ADAS Bulletin 213Google Scholar
Lake, P.E., Ravie, O. and McAdam, J. (1981) Preservation of fowl semen in liquid nitrogen: application of breeding programmes. British Poultry Science 22: 7177CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Latorre, J.R., Harris, G.C. Jr., Skeeles, J.K. and Johnson, Z.B. (1988a) Effects of glycerol on chicken spermatozoa incubated in vitro at 41°C in oviductal and embryonic cell cultures. Poultry Science 67: 135140CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Latorre, J.R., Harris, G.C. Jr. and Johnson, Z.B. (1988b) Research note: Influence of storage container for frozen-thawed chicken semen and frequency of insemination on fertility and its duration. Poultry Science 67: 333335CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lessley, B.A. and Brown, K.I. (1974) Release of trypsin like enzyme activity from frozen chicken spermatozoa as an indication of acrosomal damage. Poultry Science 53: 1947 (Abstract)Google Scholar
Maeda, T. and Terada, T. (1982a) Morphological observations on the fowl spermatozoa stored in freezing or liquid state. Japanese Poultry Science 19: 315321CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Maeda, T. and Terada, T. (1982b) The morphology of fowl spermatozoa stored at 5°C in diluents of various osmotic pressures. Japanese Poultry Science 19: 344350CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Maeda, T., Terada, T. and Tsutsumi, Y. (1984) Comparative study of the effect of various cryoprotectants in preserving the morphology of frozen and thawed fowl spermatozoa. British Poultry Science 25: 547553CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Maeda, T., Tatemoto, H., Terada, T. and Tsutsumi, Y. (1990) A convenient method for evaluation of frozen-thawed damage to acrosomes of fowl spermatozoa using a gelatin substrate slide. Japanese Poultry Science 27: 6671CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Masuda, H., Saejima, A. and Waide, Y. (1974) Study on the deep freezing preservation on the chicken spermatozoa. Bulletin of the National Institute of the Animal Industry 28: 3340Google Scholar
McNiven, M.A., Blais, L.M. and Buckland, R.B. (1986) Viability of chicken spermatozoa during stages of the freezing process using glycerol or dimethylacetamide (DMA) as cryopreservative. Poultry Science 65 (Suppl. 1): 92 (Abstract)Google Scholar
Mitchell, R.L. and Buckland, R.B. (1976) Fertility of frozen chicken semen after intravaginal and intrauterine insemination using various concentrations and equilibration times of dimethyl sulfoxide and a range of freezing and thawing rates. Poultry Science 55: 21952200CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mitchell, R.L., Buckland, R.B. and Kennedy, B.W. (1977) Hereditability of frozen and fresh chicken semen and the relationship between the fertility of frozen and fresh semen. Poultry Science 56: 11681177CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mortimer, R.G., Berndtson, W.E., Pickett, B.W. and Ben, L. (1976) Fertilizing of frozen bovine spermatozoa packaged in continental straws or ampoules. Journal of Dairy Science 59: 15951598CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nagase, H., Aoki, H., Kawakura, K., Hanada, A. and Uchino, K. (1981) Effect of polyols and amides in diluents on fertility of fresh chicken semen and their post-thaw sperm motility. Japanese Journal of Animal Artificial Insemination Research 3: 9699Google Scholar
Neville, W.J., MacPherson, J.W. and Reinhart, B. (1971) The contraceptive action of glycerol in chickens. Poultry Science 50: 14111415CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Polge, C. (1951) Functional survival of fowl spermatozoa at low temperature. Nature 167: 949950CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Quinn, P.J. and White, G. (1966) The effect of cold shock and deep freezing on the concentration of major cations in spermatozoa. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility 12 263270CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Scott, T., Buckland, R.B. and Kennedy, B.W. (1980) The effect of selection for fertility of frozen-thawed semen on spermatozoan oxygen uptake, motility and concentration, and ejaculate volume in the chicken. Theriogenology 14: 281298CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Senger, P.L., Becker, W.C. and Hilliers, J.K. (1976) Effect of thawing rate and post-thaw temperature on motility of acrosomal maintenance in bovine semen frozen in plastic straws. Journal of Animal Science 42: 932936CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sexton, T.J. (1972) Comparison of various cryopreservative agents on washed chicken spermatozoa. 1. Effect on respiration and motility. Poultry Science 51: 1863 (Abstract)Google Scholar
Sexton, T.J. (1973) Effect of various cryoprotective agents on the viability and reproductive efficiency of chicken spermatozoa. Poultry Science 52: 13531357CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sexton, T.J. (1975) Comparison of various cryoprotective agents on washed chicken spermatozoa. 5. Effect of glucose, sucrose and polyvinylpyrrolidone. Poultry Science 54: 12971299CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sexton, T.J. (1976) Studies on the fertility of frozen fowl semen. Proceedings of 8th International Congress on Animal Reproduction and Artificial Insemination,Krakow 1079–1081Google Scholar
Sexton, T.J. (1979) Preservation of poultry semen. A review. In: Animal Reproduction Science (BARC Symposium No. 3) (Ed. Hawk, H.), pp. 158170Google Scholar
Sexton, T.J. (1981a) Effect of prefreeze treatment on the fertilizing capacity of frozen chicken semen. Poultry Science 60: 15521557CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sexton, T.J. (1981b) Sperm number required for maximum fertility of chicken semen processed for freezing. Reproduction, Nutrition, Development 21: 10431048CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sexton, T.J. and Gee, G.F. (1978) A comparative study on the cryogenic preservation of semen from sandhill crane and the domestic fowl. In: Artificial Breeding of Non-Domestic Animals (Ed. Watson, P.F.), Academic Press, London, pp. 8995Google Scholar
Sexton, T.J., Buckland, R.B. and Lopez, R. (1978) Comparison of two procedures for freezing semen from cocks of high and low fertility with frozen semen. Poultry Science 57: 550552CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Shuster, S., Grund, S. and Roholff, (1980) Cooling rates, motility and morphology in deepfreezing of fowl spermatozoa. Proceedings of 9th International Congress on Animal Reproduction and Artificial Insemination, Madrid 8: 45Google Scholar
Smith, A.V. (1961) Biological effects of freezing and supercooling. In: Monograph of Physiological Society, No. 9 (Eds. Barcroft, H., Davinson, H. and Paton, W.D.M.), Edward Arnold, LondonGoogle Scholar
Smith, A.V. and Polge, C. (1950) Survival of spermatozoa at low temperature. Nature 166168Google Scholar
Spreen, S.W., Harris, G.C. Jr. and Macy, L.B. (1990) Contraceptive action of glycerol on chicken spermatozoa in oviductal organ-slice cultures. Poultry Science 69: 17591763CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tajima, A. (1988) Some aspects of preserving chicken semen: glycerol effect, assay method, and application. Dissertation Abstract International, B (Sciences and Engineering) 49: 586Google Scholar
Tajima, A., Graham, E.F. and Hawkins, D.M. (1989) Estimation of the relative fertilizing ability of frozen chicken spermatozoa using a heterospermic competition method. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility 85: 15CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tajima, A., Graham, E.F., Shoffner, R.N., Otis, J.S. and Howkins, D.M. (1990) Research note: cryopreservation of semen from unique lines of chicken germ plasm. Poultry Science 69: 9991002CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Terada, T., Maeda, T., Watanabe, M. and Tsutsumi, Y. (1983) Oxygen consumption rate as a measurement of freeze-induced damage of chicken spermatozoa. Poultry Science 62: 22712275CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Terada, T., Hashimoto, H., Maeda, T., Watanabe, M. and Tsutsumi, Y. (1988) Influence of cryoprotectant concentration on cell volume and motility of frozen-thawed fowl spermatozoa. Japanese Poultry Science 25: 268277CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Terada, T. and Tsutsumi, Y. (1989) The role of glycerol and dimethylsulfoxide on the freezing of fowl spermatozoa. Cryoletters 10: 393400Google Scholar
Watanabe, M. (1967) Studies on deep freezing preservation of chicken semen. Journal of Faculty of Fisheries and Animal Husbandry, Hiroshima University 7: 912Google Scholar
Watanabe, M. and Terada, T. (1976) A new diluent for deep freezing preservation of fowl spermatozoa. Proceedings of 8th International Congress on Animal Reproduction and Artificial Insemination, Krakow 4: 10961099Google Scholar
Watanabe, M. and Terada, T. (1980) Studies on the deep freezing of fowl semen in pellet form. Proceedings of 9th International Congress of Animal Reproduction and Artifical Insemination, Madrid 8: 44Google Scholar
Watanabe, M., Ashizawa, K. and Terada, T. (1975) A comparison of one and 15 minutes equilibration in the technique of preserving fowl spermatozoa at subzero temperatures. British Poultry Science 16: 535539CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Westfall, F.D. and Harris, G.C. (1974) A proteolytic digestion technique for evaluating freeze induced damage to acrosomes of chicken spermatozoa. Cryobiology 11: 255259CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Westfall, F.D. and Harris, G.C. (1975) The ability of cryopreservatives to prevent motility loss and freeze-thaw damage to the acrosome of chicken spermatozoa. Cryobiology 12: 8992CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Westfall, F.D. and Howarth, B. Jr. (1977a) Duration of the antifertility effect of glycerol in the chicken vagina. Poultry Science 56: 924925CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Westfall, F.D. and Howarth, B. Jr. (1977b) The effect of glycerol removal, cation concentration and morphology of chicken spermatozoa. Poultry Science 56: 14541456CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Westfall, F.D. and Howarth, B. Jr. (1978) The effect of glycerol and dilution on the release of glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase from chicken spermatozoa. Poultry Science 57: 10371041CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wiggin, H.B. and Almquist, J.O. (1975) Effect of equilibration time and thawing rate upon acrosomal maintenance and motility of bull spermatozoa frozen in plastic straw. Journal of Animal Science 40: 302305CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Williamson, R.G., Etches, R.J., Reinhart, B.S. and McPherson, J.W. (1981) The effect of cooling rate before freezing and the temperature of the semen upon addition of DMSO on the fertilizing capacity of chicken semen stored at –196°C. Reproduction, Nutrition, Development 21(6B): 10331042CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wishart, G.J. (1985) Quantification of the fertilizing ability of fresh compared with frozen and thawed fowl spermatozoa. British Poultry Science 26: 375380CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wishart, G.J. and Palmer, F.H. (1986) The effect of cryopreservation at –196°C on the viability of fowl and turkey spermatozoa assessed in vitro. Animal Reproduction Science 10: 317324CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Xia, L., Lalli, M.F., Ansah, G.A. and Buckland, R.B. (1988) Ultrastructure of fresh and frozen-thawed spermatozoa of high and low fertility line of chickens. Poultry Science 67: 819CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Yott, G.J. and Wells, M.E. (1978) The influence of thaw temperature on bovine spermatozoa commericially frozen in straws. Miscellaneous Publication of Oklahoma Agriculture Experimental Station 103: 226229Google Scholar