Effect of selenium and vitamin E addition to the extender on liquid stored capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus) semen quality

Contents Captive breeding has become an important tool in species conservations programmes, maintaining genetic diversity and restoring wild, endangered populations. In order to improve the reproductive efficiency of captive kept capercaillie, the purpose of the study was to determine the effect of selenium and vitamin E addition to semen extender on sperm characteristic during short‐term storage. Ejaculates collected individually from four capercaillie were divided into two parts, diluted threefold with basic EK extender and EK enriched with 1 mg/ml of organic selenium and 8 mg/ml of vitamin E (EK+Se+E) and stored 24 hr at temp. +4°C. Spermatozoa morphology, motility and motility parameter were evaluated in net, diluted and stored semen samples. Significant (p