Storage of boar semen at 17°C without conventional antibiotics in an extender containing an organic bactericidal substance
IntroductionFacing the global threat of antimicrobial resistance, the reduction of antibiotic use in semen extenders is a main goal in artificial insemination (AI) of pigs. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential of a commercial extender containing an organic bactericidal supplement i...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-11-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Veterinary Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2023.1294903/full |
| _version_ | 1797517065754509312 |
|---|---|
| author | Anne-Marie Luther Thu Quynh Nguyen Jutta Verspohl Dagmar Waberski |
| author_facet | Anne-Marie Luther Thu Quynh Nguyen Jutta Verspohl Dagmar Waberski |
| author_sort | Anne-Marie Luther |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionFacing the global threat of antimicrobial resistance, the reduction of antibiotic use in semen extenders is a main goal in artificial insemination (AI) of pigs. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential of a commercial extender containing an organic bactericidal supplement in the absence of conventional antibiotics to control bacterial growth and to maintain the quality of boar spermatozoa during long-term semen storage for up to 144 h at 17°C.MethodsSemen from 233 boars housed at 16 European AI centers was split and diluted in the long-term extender “Androstar Plus without antibiotics + organic bactericidal supplement” (APlus) and in the control extender Beltsville Thawing Solution (BTS) with gentamicin, which is routinely used in many AI centers. Sperm motility was assessed with computer-assisted semen analysis (CASA) and membrane integrity was evaluated with flow cytometry. The number of bacteria was determined by counting colonies on agar plates.ResultsAt the end of storage, bacterial counts were ≥ 106 CFU/mL in 10.7% of the APlus and in 0.4% of the BTS samples. At the same time, bacterial counts were only weakly correlated with sperm motility (r = −0.23, p < 0.05), and there was no correlation with sperm membrane integrity (p > 0.05). Among the 12 identified bacterial species in APlus samples, loss of sperm quality was exclusively observed in the presence of >106 CFU/mL Serratia marcescens and Klebsiella oxytoca. Both these bacterial species, despite their known multi-drug resistance and the continuous use of gentamicin in Europe, proved sensitive to this antibiotic, thus indicating an efficient quality assurance program and responsible antibiotic use.ConclusionLong-term storage of boar semen at 17°C without conventional antibiotics in an extender containing an organic bactericidal supplement is an option if semen samples are regularly tested for the presence of S. marcescens and K. oxytoca, and the source of contamination is eliminated. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T07:09:38Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6510bf570caa4fb983e758530ec30575 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2297-1769 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T07:09:38Z |
| publishDate | 2023-11-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Veterinary Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-6510bf570caa4fb983e758530ec305752023-11-22T15:32:58ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Veterinary Science2297-17692023-11-011010.3389/fvets.2023.12949031294903Storage of boar semen at 17°C without conventional antibiotics in an extender containing an organic bactericidal substanceAnne-Marie Luther0Thu Quynh Nguyen1Jutta Verspohl2Dagmar Waberski3Unit for Reproductive Medicine/Clinic for Pigs and Small Ruminants, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, GermanyUnit for Reproductive Medicine/Clinic for Pigs and Small Ruminants, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, GermanyInstitute for Microbiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, GermanyUnit for Reproductive Medicine/Clinic for Pigs and Small Ruminants, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, GermanyIntroductionFacing the global threat of antimicrobial resistance, the reduction of antibiotic use in semen extenders is a main goal in artificial insemination (AI) of pigs. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential of a commercial extender containing an organic bactericidal supplement in the absence of conventional antibiotics to control bacterial growth and to maintain the quality of boar spermatozoa during long-term semen storage for up to 144 h at 17°C.MethodsSemen from 233 boars housed at 16 European AI centers was split and diluted in the long-term extender “Androstar Plus without antibiotics + organic bactericidal supplement” (APlus) and in the control extender Beltsville Thawing Solution (BTS) with gentamicin, which is routinely used in many AI centers. Sperm motility was assessed with computer-assisted semen analysis (CASA) and membrane integrity was evaluated with flow cytometry. The number of bacteria was determined by counting colonies on agar plates.ResultsAt the end of storage, bacterial counts were ≥ 106 CFU/mL in 10.7% of the APlus and in 0.4% of the BTS samples. At the same time, bacterial counts were only weakly correlated with sperm motility (r = −0.23, p < 0.05), and there was no correlation with sperm membrane integrity (p > 0.05). Among the 12 identified bacterial species in APlus samples, loss of sperm quality was exclusively observed in the presence of >106 CFU/mL Serratia marcescens and Klebsiella oxytoca. Both these bacterial species, despite their known multi-drug resistance and the continuous use of gentamicin in Europe, proved sensitive to this antibiotic, thus indicating an efficient quality assurance program and responsible antibiotic use.ConclusionLong-term storage of boar semen at 17°C without conventional antibiotics in an extender containing an organic bactericidal supplement is an option if semen samples are regularly tested for the presence of S. marcescens and K. oxytoca, and the source of contamination is eliminated.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2023.1294903/fullboar semensemen extenderbacteriaantibioticsdrug-resistance |
| spellingShingle | Anne-Marie Luther Thu Quynh Nguyen Jutta Verspohl Dagmar Waberski Storage of boar semen at 17°C without conventional antibiotics in an extender containing an organic bactericidal substance Frontiers in Veterinary Science boar semen semen extender bacteria antibiotics drug-resistance |
| title | Storage of boar semen at 17°C without conventional antibiotics in an extender containing an organic bactericidal substance |
| title_full | Storage of boar semen at 17°C without conventional antibiotics in an extender containing an organic bactericidal substance |
| title_fullStr | Storage of boar semen at 17°C without conventional antibiotics in an extender containing an organic bactericidal substance |
| title_full_unstemmed | Storage of boar semen at 17°C without conventional antibiotics in an extender containing an organic bactericidal substance |
| title_short | Storage of boar semen at 17°C without conventional antibiotics in an extender containing an organic bactericidal substance |
| title_sort | storage of boar semen at 17°c without conventional antibiotics in an extender containing an organic bactericidal substance |
| topic | boar semen semen extender bacteria antibiotics drug-resistance |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2023.1294903/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT annemarieluther storageofboarsemenat17cwithoutconventionalantibioticsinanextendercontaininganorganicbactericidalsubstance AT thuquynhnguyen storageofboarsemenat17cwithoutconventionalantibioticsinanextendercontaininganorganicbactericidalsubstance AT juttaverspohl storageofboarsemenat17cwithoutconventionalantibioticsinanextendercontaininganorganicbactericidalsubstance AT dagmarwaberski storageofboarsemenat17cwithoutconventionalantibioticsinanextendercontaininganorganicbactericidalsubstance |