STIMULATION OF LIVABILITY AND GLYCOLYSIS BY ADDITIONS OF GLUCOSE TO THE EGG YOLK-CITRATE DILUENT FOR EJACULATED BOVINE SEMEN

Abstract

Adding from 58 to 116 mg. of glucose/100 ml. to bovine semen diluted 1:4 with yolk-citrate dilutent resulted in increased livability and lactic acid production by the spermatozoa during both incubation for 1 hr. at 46.5[degree]C. The stimulation of livability and glycolysis occurred in spite of the fact that the initial glucose stores of the diluted semen samples were not depleted. The glucose loss during low-temp. storage proceeded at similar rates regardless of the quality of semen used, though the lactic acid production varied with semen quality and was directly related to the livability of the spermatozoa. The % of utilized glucose which was recovered as lactic acid was dependent upon the quality of the semen and the storage interval and varied from 25% to complete recovery.