THE EFFECT OF SODIUM PENTOBARBITAL AND STORAGE TIME ON PRESERVATION OF RAM SPERMATOZOA MOTILITY AT 5 °C
The effect of sodium pentobarbital (0, 50, 100, 150, 200 and 300 mg/L of diluent) on the survival of ram spermatozoa stored at 5 °C for up to 7 days was studied. Although spermatozoa motility in diluent containing 150 mg of sodium pentobarbital was higher [Formula: see text] than in the remaining diluents, the magnitude of the difference was small. The average motility percent and rating of 73% and 4.0 for all sodium pentobarbital concentrations observed at the beginning of the storage period declined gradually to 22% and 2.1, respectively, after 7 days of storage. The pregnancy and lambing rates of 70% and 63.3% in ewes inseminated at synchronized estrus with semen extended and stored for 24 h with sodium pentobarbital (150 mg/L of diluent) did not differ significantly (P > 0.05) from the respective rates of 73% and 66.7% in the control ewes.