Differences in sperm migration through cervical mucus in vitro relates to sperm colonization of the oviduct and fertilizing ability in goats.

Sperm migration in estrous cervical mucus can be used to measure the ability of spermatozoa to migrate through the genital tract. The relationship of this test with the sperm colonization of the isthmus, and its impact on fertility has not been evaluated in goats. Our objectives were to determine the differences among spermatozoa of different bucks in their ability to penetrate homologous cervical mucus in vitro and to determine the relationship between sperm displacement through cervical mucus and the ability of spermatozoa to colonize the oviduct and penetrate IVM oocytes, in vivo.

Fertilization efficiency of in vitro matured oocytes transferred to oviducts of inseminated goats: a model to assess in vivo fertilization performance of goat spermatozoa.

An alternative to conventional in vivo validation of sperm assays might be to assess the fertilization rate of multiple oocytes transferred to the oviducts of inseminated females. Increasing the number of oocytes increases the egg-sperm ratio in the oviduct under an unaltered endocrine milieu, setting the basis for picking up statistical differences between treatments in small populations. The study evaluated the model by transferring oocytes to females inseminated under conditions that are known to modify the fertilization rate in the field.