Abstract

In order to investigate the effect of adding arginine on poor motile bull sperms, this study was conducted in Artificial Insemination Center, Iraq, from December, 2008 to July, 2009. 114 ejaculates with poor motile sperms estimated (30 to 55%) were collected by artificial vagina (AV) from 10 Holstein bulls and extended with Tris-yolk-fructose extender supplemented with different concentrations of arginine (0, 0.002, 0.003, 0.004, 0.005 and 0.006 M/ml) for the determination of spermatozoa motility, dead and abnormalities percentages, and acrosoma abnormalities percentage. Results showed that adding different concentrations of arginine to poor motile bull sperms extended with Tris-yolk-fructose extender gradually increased the motility of spermatozoa but the best concentrations was 0.005 and 0.006 M/ml with significant (P < 0.05) differences when compared with the control during all month of this study, and months December and January gave better significant (P < 0.05) quality of semen compared with April, May, June and July, and last two months (June and July) gave lower significant (P < 0.05) different motility and high significant (P < 0.05) different percentage of dead, abnormality and abnormal acrosoma when compared with other months.

Key words: Arginine, physical properties, poor motile, bull sperm.