SAS 11 | Semen Collection, Examination and Preservation

A comprehensive set of 80 practice fill-in-the-blank flashcards reviewing semen collection techniques, artificial vagina preparation, electroejaculation, microscopic and gross semen evaluation, diluter chemistry, and cryopreservation protocols.

The first two operational stages of artificial insemination involve the __________ animal.

male

An effective harvest of semen is defined as obtaining the maximum number of sperm of highest possible quality in each __________.

ejaculate

The ultimate objective of semen collection in livestock is to make maximum use of __________ sires.

superior

Semen is a fluid discharged from the penis during ejaculation that is primarily composed of spermatozoa and __________ plasma.

seminal

The spermatozoa present in an ejaculate are sourced from the epididymis and the __________ deferens.

vas

Seminal fluid is produced by male accessory sex glands, including the vesicular glands and the __________ gland.

prostate

The only accessory sex gland present in the male dog is the __________ gland.

prostate

When handling livestock in a semen collection or working corral, the primary concern is the __________ of the handler and collector.

safety

The two primary methods utilized for semen collection in livestock are the artificial vagina and the __________.

electroejaculator

Sexual stimulation prior to semen collection using an artificial vagina is most commonly practiced in __________.

bulls

Adequate sexual stimulation before collection is conducted to ensure mounting and ejaculation in a reasonable time and to maximize sperm __________ and quality per ejaculate.

number

Sexual stimulation in bulls prior to artificial vagina collection is achieved by exposure to a __________ animal.

teaser

Mounting a teaser animal without permitting ejaculation to enhance sexual excitement is termed a __________ mount.

false

Compared to bulls with low collection frequency, bulls collected with high frequency require more variation in stimulation and take __________ to become stimulated.

longer

The outer rubber casing of a standard bovine artificial vagina measures __________ in length.

$$40\text{ cm}$$

The outer rubber casing of a standard bovine artificial vagina has a diameter of __________.

$$6.4\text{ cm}$$

The inner liner of an artificial vagina is composed of rough-textured __________.

latex

During assembly and preparation, the initial water temperature placed inside the artificial vagina jacket should be approximately __________.

$$45^\circ\text{C}$$

The acceptable operational water temperature range inside an artificial vagina during semen collection is __________ to $56^\circ\text{C}$.

$$38^\circ\text{C}$$

During collection using an artificial vagina, the collection funnel and tube must be maintained near __________ temperature.

body

Before attempting semen collection, the inner lining of an artificial vagina must be thoroughly __________.

lubricated

Electroejaculation is commonly employed for dairy bulls that have become crippled or display low libido due to __________.

age

Electroejaculation is routinely utilized prior to the breeding season to evaluate the semen quality of __________ bulls intended for natural service.

beef

An electroejaculator consists of two primary components: a source of electrical current and a __________ electrode probe.

bipolar

The electrode rings on a bipolar electroejaculator probe are arranged with alternating positive and __________ rings.

negative

During electroejaculation, the probe is inserted into the rectum directly above the __________ glands to stimulate reproductive nerves.

accessory

The electrical current source used for electroejaculation operates across a range of __________ amperage.

$$0\text{--}30$$

When cleaning an artificial vagina, the outer rubber casing should be scrubbed with a stiff brush and water containing __________.

detergent

During artificial vagina cleaning, the inner lining and funnels are turned inside out, washed, and soaked for $5\text{ minutes}$ in a $70\%$ solution of __________ and ethyl alcohol.

isopropyl

As an alternative sanitation procedure, the inner lining and funnel of an artificial vagina may be boiled in distilled water for __________ minutes before alcohol rinsing.

$$15\text{ minutes}$$

In the sanitization procedure of an artificial vagina, rinsing the components with $70\%$ alcohol serves primarily as a __________ agent.

drying

Following cleaning and sanitization, disassembled artificial vagina components should be hung to dry inside a __________ cabinet.

dust-free

The two physical characteristics assessed during gross macroscopic evaluation of newly collected semen are volume and __________.

color

The normal gross appearance of healthy, concentrated semen from a bull, ram, or buck is __________ white.

creamy

Compared to bull semen, normal stallion semen is characteristically __________ dense.

less

A distinct pink tinge observed during gross inspection of boar semen indicates contamination by __________.

blood

A yellow discoloration observed in boar semen indicates contamination from preputial fluid or __________.

urine

The first fraction of boar ejaculate consists of a clear __________ fluid that is routinely discarded.

gel-like

The second fraction of boar ejaculate is creamy white in color and represents the __________ fraction.

sperm-rich

The third fraction of boar ejaculate consists of clear __________ that is discarded during collection.

fluid gel

During microscopic semen evaluation, a heated stage or stage incubator is used to maintain smear warmth while assessing sperm __________.

motility

Standard microscopic evaluation of sperm motility and morphology is performed at a total magnification of __________.

$$400\times$$

The $400\times$ total magnification used for semen evaluation is achieved using a $10\times$ eyepiece and a __________ high-magnification objective lens.

$$40\times$$

The three primary parameters evaluated during microscopic semen examination are sperm motility, sperm morphology, and sperm __________.

concentration

A specialized counting chamber slide originally designed for blood cells that is used to enumerate sperm is a __________.

hemocytometer

Using a hemocytometer, the sperm concentration per mL is calculated by multiplying the number of sperm in $0.1\text{ mm}^3$ by $10$, the dilution rate, and __________.

$$1000$$

In visible spectrophotometry, light transmitted through a diluted semen sample is measured using a __________.

galvanometer

Among hemocytometry, visible spectrophotometry, and the electronic particle counter, the method providing the highest accuracy for counting sperm is the __________.

Electronic Particle Counter

Breeding sire fertility is typically not impaired until the proportion of morphologically abnormal sperm exceeds $20\%$ to __________.

$$25\%$$

Three representative examples of sperm cell morphological defects are headless sperm, tailless sperm, and sperm with __________ tails.

short

The subjective vigor or forward speed of sperm cell motility is scored on a numerical scale of $1$ to __________.

$$5$$

In bull semen evaluation, an average forward swimming speed of __________ per minute is considered excellent.

$$15\text{ mm}$$

In $1976$, minimum health and disease control standards for semen used in artificial insemination were published by the organization known as __________.

Certified Semen Services

The CSS guidelines include requirements for general sanitary conditions, mount animals, pre-entry testing, isolation/retesting, resident herd testing, and __________ processing.

antibiotic

A satisfactory semen diluter must have an identical free ion concentration to semen, meaning it must be __________.

isotonic

An example of an isotonic reagent commonly used in semen dilution is a __________ solution of sodium citrate dihydrate.

$$2.9\%$$

Semen diluters require buffering capacity to prevent harmful drops in pH caused by acid produced during sperm __________.

metabolism

Semen diluters must protect spermatozoa from cold shock injury as they are cooled from body temperature to __________.

$$5^\circ\text{C}$$

Cold shock protection in semen extenders is provided by lipoproteins and __________ derived from egg yolk or milk.

lecithin

Nutrients required to support metabolic activity in diluted sperm are provided by milk, egg yolk, and simple __________.

sugars

Bacterial contamination and disease transmission in extended semen are controlled by adding __________ to the diluter.

antibiotics

To prevent lethal intracellular ice crystal formation during freezing and thawing, the cryoprotectant __________ is incorporated into the diluter.

glycerol

Phosphate Buffer Solution was first introduced for livestock semen preservation in the year __________.

$$1939$$

The original $1939$ Phosphate Buffer formulation contained $2.0\text{ g}$ of $\text{Na}_2\text{HPO}_4\cdot 12\text{H}_2\text{O}$ and $0.2\text{ g}$ of __________ dissolved in $100\text{ mL}$ of distilled water.

$$\text{KH}_2\text{PO}_4$$

Phosphate Buffer was largely discontinued for routine semen preservation because combining it with egg yolk produced an __________ suspension that obscured sperm visibility under the microscope.

opaque

Citrate Buffer Solution for semen extension was introduced in the year __________.

$$1941$$

The standard formulation of Citrate Buffer Solution consists of __________ of sodium citrate dihydrate dissolved in $100\text{ mL}$ of distilled water.

$$2.9\text{ g}$$

An alternative Citrate Buffer recipe combines $2.12\text{ g}$ of sodium citrate dihydrate and __________ of citric acid monohydrate in $100\text{ mL}$ of distilled water.

$$0.183\text{ g}$$

Unlike phosphate buffer, citrate buffer combined with egg yolk is sufficiently __________ to permit clear microscopic sperm evaluation.

transparent

Tris Buffer Solution has been widely utilized for preserving bull and boar semen since the year __________.

$$1963$$

The full chemical name of the buffer designated as Tris is Tris __________ aminomethane.

hydroxymethyl

Tris buffer is versatile because it can maintain sperm viability at ambient room temperature, $5^\circ\text{C}$, and __________.

$$-196^\circ\text{C}$$

Optimal bull semen preservation using Tris buffer requires a $0.2\text{ M}$ concentration, a pH of $6.5$, and the addition of $1\%$ __________.

fructose

Whole or skim milk serves as a satisfactory semen buffer provided it is heated to $90^\circ\text{C}$ to $95^\circ\text{C}$ for __________ minutes to inactivate spermicidal factors.

$$10\text{ minutes}$$

Antibiotics in semen diluters are critical for preventing the transmission of the venereal pathogen Campylobacter fetus venerealis, formerly classified as __________ fetus venerealis.

Vibrio

The CSS recommended concentration of Gentamicin in semen diluter is __________ per mL.

$$500\,\mu\text{g}$$

The CSS recommended concentration of Tylosin added to semen diluter is __________ per mL.

$$100\,\mu\text{g}$$

The combination antimicrobial product Linco-Spectin consists of Spectinomycin together with __________.

Lincomycin

The standard Linco-Spectin formulation supplies $300\,\mu\text{g}$ of Lincomycin and __________ of Spectinomycin per mL of diluter.

$$600\,\mu\text{g}$$

The four diluter formulations identified as effective for bull semen are Yolk-phosphate, Yolk-citrate, Yolk-tris, and homogenized whole or __________ milk.

skim

When initiating the cooling protocol, prediluted semen placed in a water jacket starts at an initial temperature of __________.

$$35^\circ\text{C}$$

During refrigerated cooling, extended semen is gradually brought down from $35^\circ\text{C}$ to a holding temperature of __________.

$$5^\circ\text{C}$$

Cellular cryoinjury during freezing and thawing is primarily driven by the selective freezing of __________ water both inside and outside the cell.

free

Glycerol protects sperm cells during freezing by binding free water and causing the freezing point of the extender solution to __________.

decrease

Glycerol further diminishes intracellular ice formation by partially __________ the sperm cells prior to freezing.

dehydrating

Before plastic straws became standard in the 1970s, extended livestock semen was packaged in sealed glass __________.

ampoules

Historical glass ampoules used for semen storage were manufactured in capacities of $0.5\text{ mL}$, $0.8\text{ mL}$, and __________.

$$1.0\text{ mL}$$

Modern artificial insemination straws are produced in standard volumes of $0.5\text{ mL}$, $0.3\text{ mL}$, and __________.

$$0.25\text{ mL}$$

Compared to glass ampoules, artificial insemination straws conserve storage space, improve post-thaw sperm survival, and slightly increase __________ rates.

conception

Frozen semen is stored indefinitely immersed in liquid nitrogen at a temperature of __________.

$$-196^\circ\text{C}$$