Abstract: The objective of the present study was to improve the low temperature preservation of boar semen and evaluate the effect of three anti-apoptotic drugs (puerarin, metoprolol tartaric and dichloroacetate) on keeping the quality of boar semen. Semen was collected from adult boars of proven fertility with the gloved-hand technique, and only the semen showing a minimum of 70% motile was used. Semen was diluted in extenders containing anti-apoptotic drugs (0,0.02,0.10,0.50 and 2.50 mmol/L puerarin, 0,0.02,0.10,0.50 and 2.50 mmol/L metoprolol tartaric acid, 0,0.04,0.20,1.00 and 5.00 mmol/L dichloroacetate). All sperm suspensions were stored at 5 ℃ and sperm motility was detected once a day. Six parameters (motility of extended soermatozoa,spermatozoal-survival effective time,spermatozoal-survival overall time, spermatozoal-survival index, the 72 h deformity rate and acrosomal integrity) were measured, six replicates were performed. The results showed that under the conditions of this study, a certain concentration of three drugs can extend the life-span of spermatozoa under the low temperature, and the optimal concentration of puerarin, metoprolol tartaric acid and dichloroacetate was 0.50, 0.50 and 1.00 mmol/L, respectively.

Key words: boar; semen; low temperature preservation; anti-apoptotic drugs