Abstract
The current work aimed to study the effect of 10 extenders/enzymes on the semen viscosity and viability of the dromedary camel. Eighty ejaculates were collected from 4 mature dromedary camels using an electro-ejaculator. Each semen sample was fractioned into 11 aliquots. One aliquot served as control and each one of the other 10 was diluted 1:1 with one of the extenders viz.; Androhep (R), Green buffer (R), Laciphos (R), tris-fructose egg yolk, egg yolk sodium citrate dihydrate, trypsin (0.3% or 0.15%) or collagenase (1%, 2% or 4%). The effect of the extenders and enzymes on semen viscosity and sperm viability were studied. The initial viscosity of the collected semen samples ranged between highly viscous and mild viscous. Collagenase enzyme (2% and 4%) liquefied 100% of the semen samples within the first 15 minutes. The effect of tris-fructose egg yolk, Androhep (R) Laciphose (R), collagenase (1%, 2% and 4%) and Green buffer on semen liquefaction was limited only to the first 15 minutes of incubation. The initial motility of semen samples ranged between 10 to 70%. Tris fructose egg yolk, Laciphose (R), Green buffe (R) and collagenase (4%) stimulated the sperm motility significantly (P<0.01) within the first 15 minutes of incubation.