CAFFEINE AS A SEMEN ADDITIVE TO IMPROVE MURRAH BUFFALO (Bubalus bubalis) SEMEN CRYOPRESERVATION

Caffeine was incorporated in egg yolk tris glycerol extender (EYTG) at the time of dilution of Murrah semen at a concentration of 1.0, 3.0 or 5.0 mM. The samples were subsequently frozen. The post thaw progressive motility and live sperm per cent improved signifi cantly (P<0.05) with addition of 1.0 (70.0±0.99 and 88.80±0.84) and 3.0 mΜ (65.83±0.88 and 86.16±0.96%) caffeine to the extender before semen dilution and cryopreservation as compared to the control (61.94±1.15 and 79.05±1.02%), when evaluated at 0 h post freeze. All the three concentrations of caffeine signifi cantly improved the hypoosmotic swelling (HOS) % and protected the sperm from becoming abnormal as observed at 0 and 48 h after freezing. Thus incorporation of caffeine (1.0 or 3.0 mM) in EYTG extender, prior to freezing may be useful in improving the quality of cryopreserved bubaline semen.