Successful pregnancies with directional freezing of large volume buck semen

The motility after washing was 80-90% and after thawing was 55-65% for all bucks. The sperm concentration increased with the collections and the advance into the breeding season from 1.9 × 109 to 4.4 × 109 cell/ml average. Two inseminations were carried out at 8 h intervals. The first insemination was performed at 32 h after CIDR withdrawal with fresh and frozen-thawed semen. Pregnancy rates were assessed by ultrasonography conducted 40 and 90 days post-insemination (from three bucks). Results were 58, 67, 50% with fresh semen, and for frozen semen were 33, 37 and 53%; these results were significantly different in one of the three bucks (P < 0.005). In the second experiment with pooled, washed semen the pregnancy rate was 41.6%, which compared with the average results of the frozen semen in the first experiment 38.9% no significant difference was found. We conclude that freezing buck semen in large volumes (8 ml) is possible. Cryobanking of buck semen will facilitate a genetic breeding program in goats and preservation of biodiversity. Washed semen did not improve the fertility of the semen when Andromed bull extender is used.