Recovery of sperm after epididymal refrigeration from domestic cats using ACP-117c and Tris extenders

ABSTRACT We aimed to compare fresh sperm and sperm cooled to 4ºC that had been recovered from the epididymides of cats using powdered coconut water (ACP-117c) and Tris extenders. Sixty epididymides were divided into 6 groups: 10 fresh epididymides were recovered using Tris (T0h); 10 were kept at 4°C/2h and recovered using Tris (T2h); 10 were kept at 4°C/4h and recovered using Tris (T4h); 10 fresh were recovered using ACP-117c (A0h); 10 were kept at 4°C/2h and recovered using ACP-117c (A2h), and 10 were kept at 4°C/4h and recovered using ACP-117c (A4h). The testis-epididymis complexes (TEC) control were not cooled. The others were cooled at 4°C for 2 or 4h. The epididymis was separated and the sperm was recovered by the modified flotation method. Sperm kinetic parameters were evaluated by a computer-system analysis, and vigor, viability, concentration, membrane function and morphology of the sperm were assessed under a light microscope. The progressive motility with ACP-117c declined after 2h of cooling, but did not differ between fresh and 4h. The vigor and membrane function were higher in A4h than A0h. The vigor at T2h and T4h were decreased compared to T0h. T0h was higher than A0h for vigor and sperm membrane function. However, after 4h of cooling, ACP-117c maintained a higher percentage of living cells. Feline epididymal sperm quality can be maintained to the degree necessary for artificial breeding programs following cooling and ACP-117c may be successfully used to recover cat sperm that have been cooled for up to 4h.