Effect of butylated hydroxytoluene supplementation in extender on motility,plasmalemma and viability of sahiwal bull spermatozoa

This experiment was designed to evaluate the effect of butylated hydroxytoluene supplementation in extender on motility,plasmalemma and viability of sahiwal bull spermatozoa. semen was collected from three sahiwal bulls of similar age group with artificial vagina for three weeks (replicates). qualifying semen ejaculates were split into five aliquots and cryopreserved in tris-citric extender having either 0.0 (control),0.5,1.0,2.0 or 3.0mm butylated hydroxytoluene. after thawing at 37°c,semen was evaluated for sperm motility,plasma membrane integrity and viability. sperm plasma membrane integrity was assessed using supravital hypo-osmotic swelling test,while viability was assessed with dual staining procedure using trypan blue and giemsa stain. sperm motility,plasma membrane integrity and viability were higher in extender containing 0.5mm butylated hydroxytoluene compared to the control and extenders containing 1.0,2.0 and 3.0mm butylated hydroxytoluene. it is concluded that supplementation of 0.5mm butylated hydroxytoluene in tris-citric acid extender improved the motility,plasma membrane integrity and viability of sahiwal bull spermatozoa. copyright 2011 zoological society of pakistan.