Factors affecting semen quality of Indigenous bulls

Abstract

The presented study was conducted at BAIF CRS, Uruli kanchan. Good quality semen is a primary requirement in breed improvement and conservation programme. In India there is an acute shortage of frozen semen doses of Indigenous cattle. BAIF Development Research Foundation is an NGO dedicated in rural development and cattle improvement programme in India. The semen station of BAIF maintains pure indigenous bulls and the semen doses are distributed in the field. Semen is being collected from 13 indigenous breeds. This study aimed to evaluate the different factors that affect the semen quality of the indigenous bulls. Information on 12139 ejaculates of 65 bulls over a period of 6 years was used for the study. The effects of factors viz., such as season of collection, year of collection, breed, ages of the bulls, ejaculation number and Collector on semen volume, semen concentration and approved number of straws were done using general linear model analysis. The analysis revealed a high significant (P≤0.01) effect of year of collection, breed, ages of the bulls, ejaculation number and Collector on semen volume and semen concentration. Season had no significant effect on semen concentration. The volume was higher during summer season (5.29±0.53ml) compared to the other two seasons. Same was reflected in case of approved straws with higher number of approved straws of 186 ±54.56. There was an increasing trend in semen concentration over the year but reverse was found in case of volume where the values were found to be decreasing. The concentration was highest during 2014 (1361.71±133.23millions /ml) and volume was highest during 2011(5.67±0.53ml). Approved straws were highest during 2011. Among the 13 breeds highest concentration was found to be of Hallikar (1547.84±128.33 million sperms/ ml) and lowest was for Gaolao (721.18 ±463.96 million sperms/ml). The volume was highest for Ongole (6.20±.519ml) and lowest in Hallikar (4.2 ±0.51ml). The number of approved straws was highest in case of Ongole and lowest for Amritmahal. The concentration and volume were the maximum for bulls of five and seven years of age respectively. First ejaculation was found to be better than second ejaculation with respect to all the three traits studied.