Comparative Study of Using Four Types of Avian Egg Yolk for Epididymal Sperms Chilled Storage in Awassi Rams (Ovis aries)

The objective of current study was to use four types of egg yolks for ram epididymal sperms The objective of current experiment was to study the effect of different avian egg yolks (EYs) on rams epididymal sperms stored at 4 ºC. Sixteen pairs of testes (n=32) were mature Awassi rams of about 1-4 years, slaughtered at a Al-Sadoon abattoir/ Mosul city were collected. The spermatozoa were collected from tail of epididymis by cutting and squeezing, after that a total of 0.5 ml of spermatozoa volume was diluted by using sodium citrate 2.9% and the volume completed to 1 ml, then the sample divided into four aliquots (0.25 ml for each one). The extender consisted of egg yolk (EY) 10% of four avian types (chicken, quail, duck, turkey), sodium citrate 2.9%, fructose 2.4gm, penicillin, and streptomycin (100.000 IU and 100 mg, respectively) in 100 distal water. Sperms individual motility, live sperm percentage, sperms abnormalities checked at 0, 72, 144 hours of storage. Results of the present study revealed that quail egg yolk improved sperms, individual motility, live sperm percentage with longer life span and reduce sperms abnormalities, followed by Turkey, chicken and duck EYs respectively, Individual motility of the spermatozoa after 144 h of storage in quail EY extender were (36.00%± 1.20), which higher than turkey EY (32.30%± 1.30). However, these results higher and significantly (P˂ 0.05) when compare with chicken EY extender (24.60%± 2.30) and duck EY extender (19.00%± 1.50). Similar results of quail and turkey EYs were manifested in the percentage of live spermatozoa, which were (38.00%± 1.20), (33.30%± 1.30), (24.00%± 2.30), and (19.90%± 1.50), respectively. The duck EY was significantly lower (P˂ 0.05) when comparing between the four types of egg yolks after storage for 144 h. In conclusion: we advise potentially to use of a quail or turkey EYs extender for the chilled storage for ram epididymal sperms.