COMPARISON OF QUALITY AND FREEZABILITY OF WATER-BUFFALO SEMEN AFTER WASHING OR SEPHADEX FILTRATION

Split aliquots of pooled buffalo semen samples were processed before f reezing 1) by washing twice with Tris-citric acid buffer by centrifuga tion and re-suspension to the original volume in the same buffer, or 2 ) or by passage through a G-15 Sephadex column. The effect of these pr ocedures on progressive motility, percentages of live spermatozoa, spe rm abnormalities and intact acrosomes and release of glutamate oxaloce tate transaminase (GOT) into the medium were assessed after extension, after equilibration and after 18 to 24 h or 15 d of frozen storage. P rior to extension, gel filtration reduced sperm concentration and enha nced progressive motility, whereas washing produced little effect on t hese attributes. Except in the case of GOT release, which was signific antly (P<0.05) lower after the washing of semen (34.3+/-16.40) than th e filtering of semen (45.7+/-12.35), the 2 procedures did not cause si gnificant effects (P>0.05). Damage to spermatozoa due to freeze-proces sing was also similar in the 2 treatments, and the extent of beneficia l effect in improved motility and live spermatozoan numbers after thaw ing was also similar.