Effects of Radioactive Phosphorus In Vitro on Oxygen Consumption of Semen

Under the conditions of this study, the levels of radiation used did not significantly alter the oxygen consumption of boar and bull sperm.

The average oxygen consumption of ninety replicates of non-treated boar semen representing thirteen different ejaculates from two boars was 201.5 micro liters of oxygen per billion sperm during the first hour of measurement, with a range of 84.6 to 295.8. The average oxygen consumption of seventy-nine replicates of treated boar semen representing twelve different ejaculates from the same two boars was 187.4 microliters of oxygen per billion sperm during the first hour of measurement, with a range of 70.2 to 264.6.

The average oxygen consumption of seventeen replicates of boar seminal fluid representing six different ejaculates was 0.04 microliters of oxygen per milliliter of seminal fluid during the first hour of measurement. Seminal fluid from only three of the ejaculates consumed oxygen, while the seminal fluid from the other three ejaculates evolved an unknown gas or gases, other than carbon dioxide, instead of consuming oxygen.

The average oxygen consumption of twelve replicates of non-treated bull semen representing five different semen samples from four bulls was 79.4 microliters of oxygen per billion sperm during the first hour of measurement, with a range of 29.4 to 172.1. The average oxygen consumption of six replicates of treated bull semen representing the same three semen samples from the same three bulls was 86.1 microliters of oxygen per billion sperm during the first hour of measurement, with a range of 28.2 to 157.9.

Bull seminal fluid from only one out of five semen samples consumed oxygen, while eleven replicates representing four semen samples evolved an average of 15.4 microliters of an unknown gas or gases, other than carbon dioxide, per milliliter of seminal fluid during the first hour of measurement.