Ahmed R. Elkhawagah

Benha University - Faculty of Veterinary Medicine · Theriogenology Department

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of Methyl-B-Cyclodextrin (MBCD) on capacitation of buffalo sperm. Frozen/thawed semen was incubated in the absence of capacitating agents (negative control), in the presence of 10 µg/ml heparin (positive control) and of 1, 2, 4 and 8 mg/ml MBCD for 2 and 4h. At each incubation time, sperm motility w...

The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of relaxin, known to improve fertility parameters of frozen-thawed sperm in other species (Miah et al. 2006 J. Reprod. Dev. 52, 773-779; Miah et al. 2007 Anim. Sci. J. 78, 495-502), on buffalo sperm motility, capacitation, and fertilizing capability. Frozen-thawed sperm from 2 bulls (4 replicates each...

The purpose of this study was to improve the quality of frozen–thawed Piedmontese bull semen by incorporating MitoTEMPO (MT) in extended semen before cryopreservation. Semen was collected from 4 fertile bulls, using an artificial vagina, once weekly for 6 consecutive weeks. Semen samples were pooled, diluted with Bullxcell® extender, and supplement...

The aim of the present study is to evaluate the in vitro maturation rate of camel oocytes using different maturation media. Ovaries of 50 she-camels were collected during the breeding season (from December to April). Ovaries were transferred to the lab in a thermal flask containing warm saline solution within 2 hrs. After slaughtering. Oocytes were...

The postpartum (PP) period is a crucial factor for the resumption of reproductive capacity and the regular cycling of goats. Until now, there is a lack of information on monitoring the PP uterine involution using morphological assessment of uterine echotexture by ultrasonography. This study aimed to use ultrasonography and computer software analysi...

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect on fresh and post-thaw beef bull semen quality of the supplementation of epidermal growth factor (EGF) to the semen extender at various concentrations (0-control, 50, 100, 200, and 400 ng/mL). For 8 weeks, sperm was collected from four fertile bulls, yielding a total of 32 ejaculates. Semen samp...

This work aimed to determine the effect of cysteamine (25, 50, 100 and 200 μM) incorporated during dilution on frozen thawed buffalo semen quality. Semen was collected twice weekly for 7 consecutive weeks from three Egyptian buffalo bulls using an artificial vagina. Semen samples were pooled and extended with a Tris-based extender, cooled, equilibr...

The cryopreservation of equine semen, although advantageous, has critical points: the spermatozoa undergo structural and physico-chemical changes which cause alterations of flagellum, plasma membrane and cellular organelles, compromising the fertilizing potential (Freitas et al. J Equine Vet Sci. 2016; 46: 1–6). The aim of the work was to evaluate...

Buffalo spermatozoa are more sensitive for cryopreservation compared to other species. This study aimed to evaluate the consequences of quercetin against cryodamage of buffalo frozen–thawed spermatozoa characteristics. Semen of Egyptian bulls (n = 4) was extended in OptiXcell extender incorporated with quercetin at 0 (control), 2.5, 5.0, 10.0, 20.0...

This study aimed to improve the quality of cryopreserved beef bull (Piedmontese) semen by incorporation of relaxin in diluted semen before cryopreservation procedures. Semen samples were collected from 4 proven fertile bulls, using artificial vagina, once per week for 8 consecutive weeks and pooled together then diluted with Bullxcell® extender, an...

The most widespread reproductive rhythm practiced in rabbit farming is based on artificial insemination (AI) performed at around 11 days pospartum. This approach results in high production rates, but requires high yearly replacement of animals that cannot sustain the enormous energy demand. Rabbit does that are in energy deficit have relatively sho...

The aim of the study was to ascertain effects of different concentrations of relaxin added to extender medium during the pre-freezing incubation periods on quality variables of stallion frozen-thawed spermatozoa. Semen samples collected from three stallions were filtered, diluted with skim milk, and centrifuged at 600 g for 10 min. Sperm pellets we...

Objective: To evaluate the cryoprotective effect of butylated hydroxytoluene on buck frozen semen. Methods: Semen was collected from Boer (n=6) and Zaraibi (n=6) bucks by electroejaculator for 5 weeks. Semen aliquots were diluted at 38 °C in Tris-buffer with egg yolk 15.0% (vol/vol) (Tris- egg yolk extender) or soya lecithin 2.5% (weight/vol) (Tris...

The aims of the present study were to evaluate the effect of cooling of the dromedary camel embryos on the pregnancy and pregnancy loss rates, and to investigate the factors which might affect the outcomes of the transfer of cooled embryos. After the donors (n = 56) had been super-ovulated and mated, they were flushed at Day 8 or 9 post-mating. Of...

Original Research Article Enormous damage to spermatozoa occurs during handling and/or deep cold storage. In the meantime, detection of the alternations of spermatozoa in routine semen analysis is very subjective and depends upon the skill of the technician in the lab. This work aimed to verify the value of electron microscopic as well as single ce...

This study aimed to assess the relation between the morphometric and histological attributes of the epididymis, and epididymal semen features in mature dromedary camels. The testes with the attached epididymis (n=50) were collected from adult camels along the rutting season from December to April. The separated epididymis was evaluated for weight a...

Objective: To assess effect of buffalo bull breed on the development and cryotolerence of the in vitro produced embryos. Methods: Three types of frozen semen were adopted; Egyptian, Italian and cross-bred (Egyptian-Italian) breeds were used for in-vitro fertilization and vitrification of their embryos. Oocytes were collected from buffalo ovaries an...

On commercial farms, rabbit does are subjected to a reproductive rhythm that does not account for their welfare or physiology, leading to reduced longevity and consequently high annual replacement. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recommends limited and infrequent use of hormone treatments, and suggests replacement with alternative methods...

Egypt is anticipated to be potentially influenced by the global climate warming. Therefore, the current study aimed to evaluate the influence of age on the fertility potential of Arabian stallions during summer breeding months. Arabian horses grouped according to their age into three groups, each involved six stallions: young (5-6 years), middle (1...

Production of high quality embryos in vitro needs an efficient in vitro fertilization (IVF). Seminal origin is one of the important factors that affects the success of in vitro embryo production. So our goal was to determine the effect of using fresh and frozen semen in fertilization on developmental competence and cryo-survival of buffalo embryos....

Objective: To assess the effects of epidermal growth factor (EGF) on the Egyptian buffalo bull frozen semen, EGF was incorporated at 0 (control), 50, 100, 200 and 400 ng/mL of extender (Bioxcell®). Methods: Semen features, spermatozoa biometry, total liberated amounts of enzymes (aspartate transaminase, alanine aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogena...

This study testified the effect of honey supplementation (0.5-4.0%) in milk on the quality of chilled and frozen buffalo spermatozoa. Semen was chilled with/without honey and examined for motility, viability, plasma membranes integrity by hypo-osmotic swelling test (HOS) at 0, 1, 2 and 4 h. Frozen-thawed semen was examined for the same criteria bes...

Buffaloes have a fundamental role in many climatically rough agricultural systems as a source of milk and meat products as well as the power of work. The interest in buffalo breeding toward optimizing the reproductive efficiency has been tremendously increased worldwide. The successful buffalo breeding depends mainly on the genetic improvement that...

To perform biometric analysis of Egyptian indigenous donkeys´reproductivedonkeys´reproductive organs using ultrasound and correlate the findings with serum hormonal levels, 25 apparent healthy jacks aged between 2-12 years were used. The ultrasonographic measurements of internal (bulbourethral, prostate, vesicular glands, colliculus seminalis and p...

The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of relaxin on fertility parameters of buffalo frozen/thawed sperm. Sperm were incubated in the absence of capacitating agents (negative control), with a known capacitating agent such as heparin (positive control) and with 50 and 100 ng/ml relaxin for 2 and 4 h. Sperm viability, motility, capacitation...

This study aimed to determine the most reliable method to evaluate capacitation of buffalo frozen/thawed sperm. Frozen/thawed sperm were incubated in TALP medium in absence of capacitating agents (control) and in presence of 10 μg/ml heparin for 2 and 4 hrs. Capacitation was assessed by Trypan blue/Giemsa after lysophosphatidylecholine (LPC) exposu...

The current study was designed to find out the effect of different doses (8, 12 or 16 µg) of GnRH analogue (Buserelin acetate, BA) on the ultrasonographic picture and biometry of buffalo bulls' reproductive organs. Animals (n= 9, aged 15-18 months) were allocated into three groups (n= 3/group) according to the hormonal dose that was administered on...