Effect of Centrifugation Technique on Post-storage Characteristics of Stallion Spermatozoa

Three ejaculates were collected from four stallions and used to compare the effects of three centrifugation methods on post-storage motility and recovery of available sperm. Two aliquots per ejaculate were diluted with skim milk-glucose (SKMG) extender to 50×106 sperm/mL, placed in 50-mL conical bottom tubes, and centrifuged at either 700g for 15 minutes (700g) or 600g for 12 minutes (600g). A third aliquot was diluted 1:1 with SKMG, placed in 15-mL conical tubes, and centrifuged at 400g for 7 minutes (400g). Subsamples from each pre-treated diluted ejaculate were held at room temperature and evaluated for motility at the same time as the post-centrifugation pre-storage motility evaluation was made for treated aliquots. After centrifugation, samples from each aliquot were stored at 5°C for evaluation after 24 and 48 hours or frozen in liquid nitrogen. Percentage of available sperm harvested was higher (P ≤ .05) for aliquots centrifuged in 15-mL tubes at 400g versus 600g in 50-mL tubes. After centrifugation, total but not progressive motility of aliquots centrifuged at 700g was lower than that for noncentrifuged controls and sperm from aliquots centrifuged at 400g in 15-mL tubes. After cold storage, values for total but not progressive motility or velocity were higher (P ≤ .05) for aliquots centrifuged in 15-mL tubes at 400g compared with those centrifuged in 50-mL tubes at both 600g and 700g. Postthaw motility of frozen sperm was not different between centrifugation treatments. Poststorage percentages of intact acrosomes and detached heads did not differ because of centrifugation treatment.