Abstract
The relative predictive abilities of an in vitro mucus penetration test and a human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) stimulation test were compared for assessing bull fertility. Cervical mucus was collected from 22 Holstein cows and then stored in liquid nitrogen. Semen was collected from 13 Holstein bulls and evaluated for standard semen parameters. The mucus penetration test was performed with fresh ejaculates, and the results were expressed as the distance traveled by the vanguard spermatozoa during incubation at 38°C for 10 min. Increases in plasma testosterone levels were determined by a ratio of testosterone concentration before and after hCG injection. Sperm motility and mucus penetration were significantly correlated with the conception rate. However, no significant correlation was confirmed between the increased plasma testosterone levels and conception rate. The results indicate that the mucus penetration test is an effective method for predicting the fertility of bulls.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 801-812 |
| Number of pages | 12 |
| Journal | Theriogenology |
| Volume | 34 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Nov 1990 |
Keywords
- bull
- fertility
- human chorionic gonadotrophin
- mucus
- testosterone
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Small Animals
- Food Animals
- Animal Science and Zoology
- Equine