Effects of exogenous oxytocin on the semen characteristics of the Indonesian wild cattle, banteng (Bos javanicus), collected by electroejaculation: Implications for semen collection techniques and genome resource banking

Gillis, James D.; Holt, William V.; Yon, Lisa; Myers, Gwen E.; Schnellbacher, Rodney; Holly, Rhudy; Love, David; Penfold, Linda M.

Abstract

Developing protocols that maximize the total sperm output during a semen collection from an endangered
species is essential for strategic genome resource banking practices. Exogenous oxytocin has been administered
to domestic bovid species prior to semen collection to increase the total sperm count from a single collection. The
hypothesis tested in the present study was that the administration of exogenous oxytocin prior to semen collection by electroejaculation (EEJ) would significantly increase the total sperm count of the ejaculate obtained
from banteng. Banteng were administered exogenous oxytocin (50 i.u.) intravenously ∼10 min prior to EEJ.
Ejaculates from 13 banteng (n = 6 oxytocin treated, n = 8 untreated) were assessed for volume, pH, osmolarity,
sperm concentration, total sperm count, percentage of motile sperm, status (scale of 0–5; 0 = no forward
progression, 5 = rapid straight forward progression). In banteng ejaculates, significant (p < 0.05) differences
were observed in volume, sperm concentration, and total sperm count between oxytocin treated (Mean ± SEM;
17.5 ± 3.7 ml, 2,138 ± 883.9 × 106 sperm/ml, 32,070 ± 8,812 × 106 sperm), and untreated (9.1 ± 1.8 ml,
308.8 ± 69.3 × 106 sperm/ml, 2,702 ± 763.7 × 106 sperm) bulls. These findings indicate that administering
oxytocin to banteng prior to semen collection significantly increases total sperm count, and if routinely used,
would maximize the number of banteng spermatozoa available in a genome resource bank. Semen was observed
on the prepuce prior to the start of the EEJ procedure in three of the oxytocin-treated banteng, indicating
oxytocin may be a useful agent to administer prior to other semen collection techniques such as urethral catheterization.

Citation

Gillis, J. D., Holt, W. V., Yon, L., Myers, G. E., Schnellbacher, R., Holly, R., Love, D., & Penfold, L. M. (2023). Effects of exogenous oxytocin on the semen characteristics of the Indonesian wild cattle, banteng (Bos javanicus), collected by electroejaculation: Implications for semen collection techniques and genome resource banking. Theriogenology Wild, 3, Article 100044. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.therwi.2023.100044

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jun 25, 2023
• Online Publication Date: Jun 26, 2023
• Publication Date: 2023
• Deposit Date: Mar 27, 2025
• Publicly Available Date: Mar 27, 2025
• Journal: Theriogenology Wild
• Print ISSN: 2773-093X
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 3
• Article Number: 100044
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.therwi.2023.100044
• Keywords: Electroejaculation, Oxytocin, Spermatozoa, Total Sperm Count, Biobanking, Wild Cattle
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/43088047
• Publisher URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2773093X23000284?via%3Dihub
• Additional Information: This article is maintained by: Elsevier; Article Title: Effects of exogenous oxytocin on the semen characteristics of the Indonesian wild cattle, banteng (Bos javanicus), collected by electroejaculation: Implications for semen collection techniques and genome resource banking; Journal Title: Theriogenology Wild; CrossRef DOI link to publisher maintained version: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.therwi.2023.100044; Content Type: article; Copyright: © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc.