Breeding soundness examination, semen examination and sperm DNA fragmentation were assessed in Mpwapwa breed bulls to determine their suitability for use as natural service or AI sires. Based on the available research facility, 53 of the 120 Mpwapwa bulls at the Tanzania Livestock Research Institute (TALIRI) were examined. Bulls were 28 - 49 months old (Mean: 40.7, SD: 13.6 months) and BCS 4 (1 - 5 scale). Mean scrotal circumference was 27.5 cm (Range: 24 - 33 cm, SD: 1.9) cm, and was unrelated to age (p ＞ 0.50). Semen was collected by electro ejaculation. Six bulls produced only seminal plasma. Mean volume of the remaining ejaculates was 5.5 mL (range: 1.9 - 14.9 mL, SD: 1.9 mL). Mean ejaculate density was 303 × 106 sperm/mL (range: 57 - 966, SD: 258): 31 bulls produced ejaculates with ≤ 400 × 106 sperm/mL and 8 bulls ejaculates with ≥700 × 106 sperm/mL. The mode score for mass motility (4-point scale: - , , , ) was (24 bulls: 51%), 23% of bulls (11) were scored as and 12 (26%) as . Most (41/47: 87.2%) bulls had ≥70% motile sperm, but only 19 bulls had ≥ 80% motile sperm. Few (4/47, 8.5%) bulls had <70% morphologically normal sperm. Most bulls had few fragmented sperm (unfragmented mean: 94.7%, mode: 100%). The proportion of unfragmented sperm was unrelated to progressive motility or bull age. Eight bulls had semen (density, morphology and motility) results that met established criteria for use in AI. A total of 15 bulls with ejaculate density ≥300 × 106 sperm/mL and normal morphology ≥80% would be suitable for use as natural service sires for low-intensity breeding.
Cite this paper
Kabuni, K. T. , Komba, E. V. G. , Bura, D. B. , Parkinson, T. , Laven, R. and Peters, A. (2025). Breeding Soundness Examination of Mpwapwa Breed Bulls: Suitability for Use as Natural Service and Artificial Insemination Sires. Open Access Library Journal, 12, e13543. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/oalib.1113543.
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