Effect of extender supplemented with date palm pollen grain on caprine semen qualities

Abstract

Date Palm Pollen Grain (DPPG) were proved to maintain semen characteristics and quality in bulls, equines, and buffaloes. However, DPPG as supplementation in the extender for goats are scarce. Hence, the aims of this research were to investigate the semen motility and viability and to examine the functional membrane integrity of semen in different concentrations of DPPG supplemented in goat semen extenders. In this study, DPPG was added with 4% and 8% in tris-citrate-fructose-yolk (TCFY) semen extender and chilled at 5°C for 0, 24 and 48 hours. The diluted semen samples were assessed for sperm motility, viability, and membrane integrity. A total of four ejaculations from two Boer bucks were used in this study. The results indicated that the ability to maintain sperm viability was significantly higher in the extender supplemented with 8% DPPG in all storage times (P<0.05). Furthermore, 8% of DPPG in extender significantly improved sperm motility after 48 hours (56.67±5.57) compared to control (0% DPPG) (40.83±3.00) and 4% DPPG (43.33±5.24). Results also showed that sperm membrane integrity percentage in 8% DPPG (40.00±4.04) was significantly higher than control (30.33±2.19) at 0-hour storage time. The extender supplemented with 8% DPPG indicated the best result in maintaining sperm quality after 24 hours of chilled storage compared with other treatments. In conclusion, 8% of DPPG supplemented in semen extenders proved to maintain viability, motility and membrane integrity compared to control.