BACKGROUND Artificial insemination (AI) can serve as a powerful tool to the sheep owners for making rapid genetic progress of their flock. The AI in sheep is mostly performed using fresh semen with two reasons i) lambing rate following trans-cervical AI with frozen semen is limited by the inability of frozen-thawed sperm to transit the cervix and ii) the need of circumventing the cervical barri...

This study was designed to determine the degree and type of bacterial contamination of ejaculated semen samples in fertile rams and its consequences on sperm quality during storage. In experiment 1, 68 ejaculates from 36 rams were divided into two aliquots, one of which was used for bacterial culture, while the other one was diluted, stored at 15°C and assessed for plasma membrane integrity and...

Quality and affordable semen extenders are essential for successful artificial insemination. Extenders from natural sources have been found to be effective affordable. Using two matured West African Dwarf rams (18.67±1.45kg), the effectiveness of graded mixtures mango carrot juices (100% Mango (M), 100% Carrot (C) 90%M10%C, 70%M30%C, 50%M50%C, 30%M70%C 10%M90%C), conventional egg yolk citrate (...

To achieving high efficiency in sheep, ram sperm must have fertilization ability. Quercetin, a potent antioxidant, has been shown to positive effect on semen different species. This study aims improve the of Merino using quercetin. The ejaculates collected from rams were used for dilution (sperm density ≥ 3×109 spermatozoa/ml, motility 75%). Tris diluent was dilute semen. divided into 4 equal v...

The effects of trypanosomosis on the scrotal circumferences and semen characteristics of Yankasa rams were studied for ninety eight days (14 weeks). Sixteen Yankasa rams aged between 24 to 30 months and weighed between 22 to 25 kg were acclimatized for a period of two months in a clean flyproof house and were adequately fed and given water ad libitum. Of the sixteen rams, twelve that were clini...

The roles ofselenium (Se) and glutathione peroxidase in reproductive function are poorly understood, but it is possible that they may be important for normal reproduction in the male. In rats fed a Se-deficient diet, the testes accumulated and retained more 75Se than did other tissues 1 week after injection (Brown & Burk, 1972; Burk, Brown, Seely & Scaief, 1972). Autoradiographic studies (Brown...

An experiment of factorial design was conducted to quantify variation in the components of reproductive wastage in Merino ewes following artificial insemination (AI) in either January, March or May. Semen from 6 individual rams was used in either fresh or deep frozen form, the latter providing a ram "control" to identify variation in wastage as of either paternal or maternal origin. Results sho...