Powdered coconut water (ACP®) at different temperatures as extender of guinea fowl (“Numida meleagris”) spermatozoa

Abstract

The in vitro efficiency of powdered coconut water (ACP®) as storage medium for fresh, cooled guinea fowl (Numida meleagris) sperm at 4 or 15ºC compared to a commercially available medium (DC) of poultry semen was evaluated. Sperm concentration, percentage of motile spermatozoa, vigor, and morphology at baseline (T0), 2h (T2) and 24h (T24) were recorded. Average pool concentration was of 4.88±0.17 x 109 sptz/mL in the sperm and 600 x 106 sptz/mL in the final aliquots. The number of spermatozoa in the pool averaged 11.4±0.95 x109sptz/ejaculate. No treatment effect (P>0.05) on any parameter (motility, vigor and viable spermatozoa percentage) at baseline was detected between four groups (4 and 15ºC in ACP® and DC). After two hours (T2), only the spermatozoa in ACP® at 4ºC was always higher than the acceptable values: motility 88%, vigor 8.9 and viable spermatozoa concentration of 10.01x109 sptz/mL (P<0.05). This fact was also observed at 24h. These results suggest that ACP® at 4ºC can be used in the artificial insemination in guinea fowl, because it was the best among in vitro treatments, in all storage times.