Effect of thawing temperature on motion characteristics of frozen-thawed ram spermatozoa

Semen of adult Malpura rams was processed for freezing after initial diluti on @ 1000 million spermatozoa /ml. Extended semen samples were aspirated in to 0.5 mi straws and frozen in a programmable cell freezer. Straws were tha wed at 50 degrees C or 60 degrees C for 10 sec and the motion characteristi cs of spermatozoa were assessed by computer-assisted sperm analysis techniq ue. The mean post-thaw recovery of motile spermatozoa at 60 degrees C thawi ng was significantly higher (P<0.01) ranging from 72.1 to 72.9 % in 2 repli cates as compared to 53.8 to 55.4 % at 50 degrees C thawing. The effect of replication was significant (P<0.01) only for beat frequency of spermatozoa . The results indicate that thawing at 60 degrees C has also a significant effect on % rapid, %linearity, % curvilinear velocity, average path velocit y, straight line velocity (P<0.01) and beat frequency of spermatozoa ( P<0. 05) as compared to thawing at 50 degrees C. However, there was no significa nt effect of thawing temperature on % medium, % slow, % straightness and am plitude of lateral head displacement of spermatozoa.