Animal Genetics and Breeding Division, National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal-132 001, India.
Mammalian sperm mitochondrial sheath harbors a number of enzymes that are involved in release of energy via oxidative phosphorilation of ATP. The present study was designed to detect the effect of differential sperm mitochondrial activity onthe fertility potential and the association of sperm mitochondrial activity index (SMAI) with the sperm motility parameters for cryopreserved semen samples. A prediction equation was constructed to predict the fertilizing ability of frozen thawed semen based on the SMAI scores. Cryopreserved semen of 30 Karan Fries crossbred bulls were taken for the study. The fertility groups were differing significantly for the SMAI scores. The test was found to have significant correlation with the sperm motility parameters. The R2 value of the prediction equation was 88.74%. The test is easy and reliable hence can be supplemented with the routine semen analysis test.
