Interpretive Summary: Cryoprotectant effects of natural honey on spermatozoa quality of pre-freezing and frozen-thawed boar semen

By: Kayode B Balogun, Griffin Nicholls, Olujide A Sokunbi, Kara R Stewart

To preserve the semen of male pigs for long-term usage, especially for artificial insemination, semen samples are frozen at temperatures below zero degrees. This research study was conducted with the aim of improving the qualities of semen samples from male pigs that are usually negatively impacted by extremely low temperatures during the preservation process using liquid nitrogen. Honey was added to the preservative mixture used because of its known properties that we hypothesized to be beneficial to frozen pig semen. The findings of the experiments conducted revealed that honey improved the movement of sperm cells in semen samples prior to freezing in liquid nitrogen. Qualities of sperm cells of frozen and thawed semen samples of male pigs, such as motion and shape, were better preserved when honey is added to the preservative media.