Applicability of a new cell culture device for cooled-storage of stallion semen.

A new device for storage and shipping of cell cultures--the Petaka G3 cell management device--was tested for its applicability for cooled-storage of equine semen. Semen from three stallions was processed with EquiPro extender either without antibiotics (three ejaculates per stallion) or with gentamicin (250 mg/l; three ejaculates per stallion). Semen was either stored at five (anaerobic conditions) or 15 °C (aerobic conditions) in syringes or cell culture devices. Total and progressive motility, as well as membrane integrity of spermatozoa, were evaluated from days 1 to 7 after collection with computer-assisted semen analysis. In experiment 1 (extender without antibiotics), total motility, progressive motility and viability of spermatozoa significantly decreased over time (p < 0.05). The decrease was significantly faster at 15 °C than at 5 °C (p < 0.05). In the presence of gentamicin (experiment 2), this difference was no longer present. It can be concluded that cooled-storage of equine semen in sophisticated devices for cell culture is not advantageous to syringes for successful maintenance of semen longevity.