The objective of the present study was to determine whether sperm incubation prior to oocyte insemination in vitro affects the sex ratio of resulting blastocyst. Cumulus-oocyte-complexes (COCs) collected from slaughterhouse ovaries were matured in vitro and inseminated with frozen-thawed semen of three proven artificial insemination (AI) bulls pre-incubated in vitro in Sperm-Talp for 6 and 24 h.
On day-9 blastocysts were collected and processed for sex determination.
More than 80% of blastocyst were successfully sexed. There were no significant differences in cleavage and blastocyst rates using sperm pre-incubated for 6 h as compared with the 0-h pre-incubation control group. The cleavage and blastocyst rates were significantly lower in the 24-h pre-incubation group.
The male to female ratio, when compared with the theoretical 1 : 1, differed significantly in favour of females among hatched (viable) blastocysts derived from sperm pre-incubated for 24 h prior to insemination as well as among all blastocytsts in the 6-h group. Moreover, when the sperm treatment was considered, the sex ratio was affected only among hatched blastocysts in 24-h pre-incubation group.
It was concluded that prolonged sperm pre-incubation influences the rate of development and the sex ratio among hatched blastocysts.
Source: Lechniak, D, Strabel, T, Bousquet, D & King, AW (2003): Sperm Pre-Incubation Prior to Insemination Affects the Sex Ratio of Bovine Embryos Produced in vitro. In: Reproduction in Domestic Animals 38 (3), 224-227.
www.blackwell-synergy.com/links/doi: 10.1046/
j.1439-0531.2003.00410.x
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