Yassein Ahmad El-Arifi ^1*

¹ Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agricultural, Hama University, Syria.

(*Corresponding author: Yassein Ahmad El-Arifi, Email:  elarifi.yassein.ahmad@gmail.com)

Received: 30/ 8/ 2025     Accepted: 29/ 9/ 2025

Abstract

The experiment was conducted at the Al-Ghazlaniyah Artificial Insemination Center in the Damascus countryside during the period from 17\11\2024 to 18\5\2025. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of utilization of the Japanese quail egg yolk in frozen semen extender of Friesian bulls. Sixth mature Friesian bulls between 3-4 years old were used; semen samples were collected once a week using an artificial vagina. Immediately after semen collection, semen samples were evaluated and only the ejaculates that showed total motility (> 70 %) were used. The semen samples were pooled and diluted using Tris-fructose extender. Different concentrations of the Japanese quail egg-yolk (QEY), T2 (20%) and T3 (15%) were added, and the T1 (20%) concentration of chicken egg-yolk (CEY) was considered as the (control group). Semen samples were kept inside straws (0.5ml) at a temperature of (-196°C). for different periods of time. After freezing in days 1,30,90 and 180, the semen samples were incubated at (37°C) after thawing and some semen indicators were determined namely of (individual motility and sperm membrane integrity HOS-T). The results showed that using Japanese quail egg-yolk at a concentration of (15%) T3 led to a significant increase (P<0.05) in the percentage of individual motility and the percentage of sperm with an intact plasma membrane. Also, the results showed that using Japanese quail egg-yolk at a concentration of (20%) T2 led to significant decrease (P<0.05) the percentage of individual motility and the percentage of sperm with an intact plasma membrane compared to with T3 QEY and control treatment T1 (20%) chicken egg-yolk (CEY). As for the effect of the freezing period, the results showed a significant decrease (P<0.05) in the percentage of individual motility and sperm membrane integrity in all treatments (T1, T2, T3) on the 180 days of storage at (-196°C). The decrease in the studied indicators was greater in treatment (T2) QEY as compared to (T1) CEY and (T2) QEY. It could be concluded that adding QEY at a concentration of (15%) and adding CEY at a concentration of (20%) was better than adding QEY at a concentration of (20%) in the frozen semen extender of Friesian bulls during storage up to 6 months.

Keywords: Quail egg, extenders, Friesian bulls, frozen semen.

 Full paper in Arabic: PDF