Fig 1.
Experimental design flow chart.
The study consisted of two stages (experiments). The first stage aimed to assess three freezing extenders (BC+G, BOTU, INRA) and two freezing techniques—directional freezing (DF) and freezing in the vapour phase over liquid nitrogen (LNV). At the second stage, samples frozen with the selected extenders (BOTU and INRA) and freezing technique (DF) were used for AI. After thawing, the BOTU samples were either diluted 1:1 in autologous seminal plasma or in BotuSemen. The INRA samples were either diluted 1:1 in autologous seminal plasma or used as is. A horizontal line on the figure indicates the decision-making point between the two experimental stages.
Table 1.
Fresh donkey semen parameters.
Table 2.
Donkey sperm post-thaw evaluation by freezing technique.
Table 3.
Donkey sperm post-thaw evaluations by extender.
Fig 2.
Four of the foals (with their dams) born following artificial insemination performed with frozen-thawed Abyssinian donkey sperm in the present study.
No abnormalities were noted in the newborn.