The Effects of Trehalose and Sucrose on Frozen Spermatozoa of Yunnan Semi-Fine Wool Sheep During a Non-Mating Season

To improve the quality of frozen spermatozoa of Yunnan semi-fine wool sheep, the protective effect of trehalose and sucrose on frozen ram spermatozoa during a non-mating season was evaluated and compared in this study. Briefly, following collection by electric stimulation, equilibration at 5°C following dilution with the freezing extender, and prefreezing in liquid nitrogen vapor, the ram spermatozoa were frozen in liquid nitrogen. After thawing, viability, motility, acrosome status, membrane integrity, and phosphatidylserine (PS) distribution was determined using a computer-assisted spermatozoa analysis system and flow cytometry. The data indicated disaccharide can improve the quality of frozen ram spermatozoa. With a trehalose concentration of 100mM, the post-thaw viability and motility (80.56%±6.89% and 46.07%±5.84%) of ram spermatozoa were significantly more than those of ram spermatozoa frozen with no disaccharide (65.46%±18.96% and 34.62%±9.32%, P0.05). Compared with sucrose, trehalose can significantly increase the motility of frozen ram spermatozoa (P