Effect of vitamin E addition to frozen Simmental bull semen extender on post-thawing quality

¹ Faculty of Animal and Agricultural Science, Diponegoro University

^* Corresponding author: farizzharfanharis@gmail.com

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to evaluate the post-thawing quality (sperm motility, mortality and abnormality) of frozen-thawed Simmental bull semen with the addition of vitamin E in the extender. The material used for research were semen from two selected Simmental bulls. Vitamin E as treatment in addition to the extender consisted of T0 (no addition of vitamin E), T1 (0,134 gram/100 ml extender), T2 (0,268 gram/100 ml extender) and T3 (0,402 gram/100 ml extender). Post-thawing evaluation conducted 24 hours after the freezing process and observed after the thawing process in 37°C water bath for 30 seconds. Parameters observed in this research were the post-thawing quality of frozen-thawed Simmental bull semen based on motility, mortality and abnormality percentage. Sperm motility evaluated using a microscope with 100x and 400x magnifying, sperm mortality observed using 400x magnifying and counted based on 0,2% eosin-negrosin staining, sperm abnormality observed using 400x magnifying and counted based on the number of morphologically abnormal sperm cells. Semen post-thawing motility was not significantly affected by vitamin E addition of T1, T2 and T3 (P<0,05). T1 and T2 were able to significantly lower the mortality percentage compared to T0 and T3 (P<0,05). T1 and T2 were also very significantly affecting the decreased of abnormality percentage compared to T0 and T3 (P<0,01). T1 generally gave the best result on the improvement of post-thawing motility and decreased the percentage of sperm mortality and abnormality.