Vilaró-Vélez, Cristina N.

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    Evaluación de calidad del semen y comportamiento sexual de verracos en climas tropicales
    (2018) Vilaró-Vélez, Cristina N.; Santana-Nieves, Carmen S.; College of Agricultural Sciences; Arcelay-Ruiz, Enid; Sánchez-Rodríguez, Héctor; Department of Animal Science; Soto-Vélez, Jay O.
    Semen quality and sexual behavior of Yorkshire boars raised in a tropical environment were evaluated during a whole year, using a 2x2x2 factorial arrangement with age (2 and 5 years), time of the day (AM and PM) and season (Cool: November to April and Hot: May to October) as the main factors with their respective interactions. The interactions age of the boar x time of the day and age of the boar x season of the year, and time of the day x season of the year affected (P<0.10) sperm concentration/mL and total sperm. Both variables were greater for the semen collected from the younger boar during the afternoon (>373.6±23.3 x 106 spermatozoa/mL and >85770±4246.14 x 106 total sperm) and in the cool season (>406.4±22.4 x 106 spermatozoa/mL and >94572±2581.0 x 106 total sperm). Sperm concentration/mL was greater when the boars were collected in the afternoon during the cool season (436.83±60.56 x 106 spermatozoa/mL) for dilution factor 2 (FD2), whereas total sperm varied among the different methods of semen evaluation. Percentage of spermatozoa normality was affected by the interaction age of the boar x time of day for semen diluted using dilution factor 1 (FD1), being superior for the older boar during the afternoon (76.25±3.10%, P=0.08). Likewise, the older boar shown the greater % of normality for the undiluted semen when evaluated in CASA (58.36±2.10%, P=0.006). Age of the boar and season of the year affected (P<0.10) the % of spermatozoa progressive movement, being superior for the older boar and during the cool season. The total volume of the gel-free semen fraction, was affected by the interaction age of the boar x season of the year, being greater for the older boar when collected during the cool season (416.0±15.3mL, P=0.02). Similarly, the variables of sexual behavior (pre-mount and ejaculation) were affected (P<0.10) by the interaction age of the boar x season of the year. Pre-mount was longer for the younger boar during the hot season, while ejaculation was shorter for the younger boar during cool season. Meanwhile the duration of the mount was longer for younger boar (P=0.001) and when collected during cool season (P=0.04). Rectal temperature evaluated during the semen collection as an indicator of thermal stress, was greater for the younger boar (36.75±0.10°C, P=0.03) during the whole experimental period. It was also greater when the boars were collected in the afternoon (37.04±0.10°C, P=0.07) and during the hot season (36.72±0.09°C, P≤0.001). The results of the present research suggest that semen quality and sexual behavior of boars in a tropical environment is age, collecting time of the day and season dependent.