A COMPARATWE STUDY OF SPERMATOZOAL ABNORMALITIES AND SOME BIOCEIEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF OVINE AND CAPRINE SEMEN IN THE I-IUMID TROPICS

Abstract

A classification of morphologically abnormal spermatozoa in the ejaculates and an evaluation of some biochemical characteristics of the semen of West African Dwarf (WAD) bucks and Yankassa rams were made from semen samples harvested twice weekly by electro-ejaculation. While only similarities were observed between bucks and ram semen in all forms of abnormal sperm morphology as well as in the concentrations of total protein, cholesterol and phospholipids in both spermatozoa and seminal plasma, buck spermatozoa total protein was highly related to both cholesterol and phospholipids. Ram spermatozoa total protein was likewise related to phospholipids even as cholesterol and phospholipids were also related. These results imply similarities between these species in their fertility and suggest similarities in the responses of their spermatozoa to chilling and freezing during storage for artificial insemination (AI).