Survival of Bull Sperm in Milk and Yolk Extenders with Added Catalase

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Abstract
A citrate-glucose-glycine-sulfanilamide buffer with 20% egg yolk and antibiotics (CU-16), and a more complex buffer containing potassium chloride and sodium bicarbonate with 20% egg yolk (CUE) were compared with simpler yolk and milk extenders. After 12 days of storage at 5[degree]C the percentage of motile sperm in CUE containing 0, 1, 10, 100, and 200 [mu]g of catalase per ml of extender was 28, 37, 44, 44, and 45, in CU-16 was 35, 43, 47, 52, and 50, in CU-16 plus chlorpromazine hydrochloride was 29, 35, 35, 41, and 43, and in 20% yolk-citrate was 24, 34, 38, 37, and 34, respectively. All levels of catalase improved sperm survival significantly (P<.01), but little additional response was observed with catalase levels higher than 10 [mu]g/ml of extender. The concentration of catalase required to produce a maximum response was much greater than that theoretically required to eliminate any hydrogen peroxide produced. No beneficial effect of adding 20 ug of catalase per ml of skimmilk or skimmilk-glycerol extender was found. The percentage of motile sperm after 12 days of storage at 5[degree]C averaged 47 for CU-16 extender with catalase, 11 for skimmilk, and 12 for skimmilk with catalase.