Volume 55 (2005) Issue: 2005 No#5-6

Open days period and antispermatozoal antibodies in artificially inseminated cows

Author(s): Milovanović A, Lazarević M, Milanović Svetlana, Kirovski Danijela, Jovičin M

Keywords:sperm cells, cows, artificial insemination, subfertility, antisperm antibodies

The aim of this study was to determine titers of antisperm antibodies (ASA) of Ig G and Ig A class in sera and cervical mucus of artificially inseminated Holstein cows in order to correlate these results with the duration of the open days period. Investigations were conducted on a total of 181 cows originating from three different dairy farms. Blood and cervical mucus samples for laboratory analyses were collected on the day of the last artificial insemination. Presence of ASA was determined by indirect immunofluorescence method (IIF) using bulls' sperm cells prepared for artificial insemination by suspending in TRIS - egg yolk or "Biociphos +" extenders prior to deep freezing. Our results strongly confirm the hypothesis that immune mechanisms may be involved in reproductive disturbances due to high levels of ASA of Ig A class. In the sera and cervical mucus of cows, high levels of ASA were found in animals with longer open days period. In this study we were not able to demonstrate differences in ASA titers when sperm cells were suspended in different extenders and used for the IIF test.