Current trends in stallion semen evaluation: What other methods can be used to improve our capacity for stallion semen assessment?

Semen evaluation is an important component for the assessment of the stallion breeding potential, as well as for the diagnosis of subfertility/infertility cases. Furthermore, accurate estimation of the damage suffered by the sperm cell after cooling or freezing procedures is necessary for the development of newer procedures to maintain sperm integrity and function. Nevertheless, commonly used methods for sperm quality evaluation (sperm motility or sperm morphology) are not completely associated with the fertilizing potential of the spermatozoa under in vitro conditions, and in the best-case scenario are poor- to- moderately associated with in vivo fertility. In recent years, the introduction of advanced methods based on the use of fluorochromes for sperm evaluation has improved the clinicians and researchers capacity to account for the differences on the fertility potential between sires, as well as critically evaluate the effect of several methods to preserve stallion sperm. The aim of this paper was to review some of the current fluorescence-based methods used for the evaluation of equine semen as an alternative for the selection of breeding stallions, the diagnosis of subfertility/infertility, and the estimation of optimal protocols for sperm preservation under laboratory conditions.

Current trends in stallion semen evaluation: What other methods can be used to improve our capacity for stallion semen assessment? Academic Article