SEASONAL VARIATION IN SEMEN QUALITY AND CONCEPTION RATE OF JAFFARABADI BUFFALO BULLS (Bubalus bubalis) IN INDIA

The study was conducted on four Jaffarabadi breeding bulls, 5 to 6 years old, to know the neat characteristics based on total of 192 semen ejaculates evaluated and cryopreserved during winter (10 to 25 degrees C mean temperature) of November to February (n=96 ejaculates) and summer (38 to 45 degrees C temperature) March to June (n=96 ejaculates). The neat seminal characteristics of Jaffarabadi bulls, viz., ejaculate volume (ml), colour/density (score), sperm concentration (million/ml), mass activity (score), initial motility (%), live sperm (%), abnormal sperm (%), HOST reactive sperm (%) and acrosomal integrity (%), first AI conception rate observed during winter season were 5.19 +/- 0.18, 2.38 +/- 0.10, 1253.36 +/- 24.75, 3.73 +/- 0.05, 80.31 +/- 0.05, 86.20 +/- 0.64, 5.00 +/- 0.40, 85.75 +/- 0.43, 93.56 +/- 0.56, 45.75 +/- 0.21 respectively, whereas the respective values in summer were 5.07 +/- 0.13, 2.00 +/- 0.00, 1186.60 +/- 24.78, 3.72 +/- 0.11, 78.75 +/- 0.46, 82.31 +/- 0.74, 7.13 +/- 0.52, 84.93 +/- 0.45, 90.56 +/- 0.23, 43.50 +/- 0.11. The semen quality of fresh samples was observed better during winter compared to summer season for use in breeding program with satisfactory first AI conception rate.