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Factors affecting rabbit sperm cryopreservation: a mini-review

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 June 2021

Elena Kubovicova
Affiliation:
National Agricultural and Food Centre (NPPC), Research Institute for Animal Production, Nitra, Slovak Republic
Alexander V. Makarevich
Affiliation:
National Agricultural and Food Centre (NPPC), Research Institute for Animal Production, Nitra, Slovak Republic
Andrej Balazi
Affiliation:
National Agricultural and Food Centre (NPPC), Research Institute for Animal Production, Nitra, Slovak Republic
Jaromir Vasicek
Affiliation:
National Agricultural and Food Centre (NPPC), Research Institute for Animal Production, Nitra, Slovak Republic Slovak University of Agriculture, Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Sciences, Nitra, Slovak Republic
Peter Chrenek*
Affiliation:
National Agricultural and Food Centre (NPPC), Research Institute for Animal Production, Nitra, Slovak Republic Slovak University of Agriculture, Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Sciences, Nitra, Slovak Republic
*
Author for correspondence: Peter Chrenek. Research Institute for Animal Production, NAFC, Hlohovecká 2, 95141Lužianky, Slovak Republic. E-mail: peter.chrenek@nppc.sk; peter.chrenek@uniag.sk

Summary

Rabbits are an important animal species for meeting the nutritional requirements of the world’s growing population due to the high conversion rate of feed. In most countries, the rabbit industry currently relies on artificial insemination with fresh or chilled and frozen–thawed spermatozoa. Various factors during the freezing process, including diluents, sperm preparation and freezing techniques, antioxidants, sudden temperature changes, ice formation and osmotic stress, have been proposed as reasons for the poor sperm quality post thaw. Despite the extensive progress reached in the field of rabbit sperm cryopreservation, new methodological approaches that could overcome problems in sperm cryopreservation are necessary. The aim of this review was to describe the factors that affect the cryopreservation of rabbit sperm.

Type
Review Article
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press

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