Bioscientifica Proceedings

The components of ruminant seminal plasma and their influence on the fertility of spermatozoa are reviewed. Seminal plasma can both inhibit and stimulate sperm function and fertility through the multifunctional actions of organic and inorganic components. These effects are now better understood because the composition of the seminal plasma, including its protein content and that of other structures, specifically membrane vesicles, has been clarified. Spermatozoa gain motility ...

The potential fertility of a sire can not be evaluated in the field simply by assessment of mating ability and physical examination, although these procedures can expose his limitations as a breeder. Finding a laboratory test that accurately estimates the potential fertility of a semen sample or a sire is also distant, as shown by the modest correlations that present tests have with fertility. Due to the complex nature of male fertility any sought for laboratory method must in...