Evaluation of camel milk as an extender for short-term storage of ram semen at 15°C

The purpose of the present study was to assess the effect of modified camel milk (MCAM) and skim cow milk (SCOM) on semen quality of INRA180 and Boujaâd ram breeds, stored at 15°C for up to 24 hours. Semen samples were collected from eleven mature rams (6 from INRA180 and 5 from Boujaâd rams) and extended in SCOM vs MCAM, to reach a final concentration of 0.8×109 spermatozoa/mL, and stored at 15°C for 24 hours. The quality assessment was performed at different storage periods (0, 2, 8 and 24 hours). The results showed that the stored sperm quality varied significantly from breed to breed and sperm response to milk extenders differed between ram breeds. The MCAM showed a clear beneficial effect on stored sperm quality, compared to SCOM especially for motility, lipid peroxidation, and membrane integrity. Additional studies are needed to evaluate the pregnancy rate after insemination with stored semen.