Influence of age, breed lines and season on boar sperm motility and morphology under tropical conditions

• Francisco Sevilla ^[2] ; Ignacio Araya-Zúñiga ^[2] ; Miguel Ángel Silvestre Silvestre ^[1] ; Patricia Cervantes Acosta ^[3] ; Antonio Hernández Beltrán ^[3] ; Arcesio Salamanca Carreño ^[4] ; Anthony Valverde
  1. [1] Universitat de València

     Universitat de València

     Valencia, España

     
  2. [2] San Carlos Campus, Costa Rica.
  3. [3] University, Veracruz, México
  4. [4] University of Colombia, Villavicencio, Colombia

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• Localización: Austral journal of veterinary sciences, ISSN 0719-8000, ISSN-e 0719-8132, Vol. 58, Nº. 1, 2026, págs. 64-73
• Idioma: inglés
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  • Sperm morphology assessment is essential for maintaining reproductive efficiency and profitability on farms. In tropical countries and smaller-scale farms, the assessment of sperm morphology of the doses used in artificial insemination is not routinely carried out; therefore, its analysis and standardization are necessary. This study evaluated the influence of age, season, and genetic line on sperm morphology in breeding boars under trop-ical conditions. The study was conducted on commercial farms in the northern region of Costa Rica from 2019 to 2023, with sampling during both the dry and rainy seasons. Sixty-five boars and 312 ejaculates representing Duroc, Landrace, Pietrain, and Pietrain × Duroc genetic lines were analyzed. Animals were classified by age at collection into three groups according to age at the time of collection:< 24 months (G1, n = 19), 24–48 months (G2, n = 26), and > 48 months (G3, n = 33); some animals were analyzed and classified into different groups. Morphology was assessed by Trumorph® fixation and visual examination using a light microscope at 400× magnification. The percentage of sperm morphological abnormalities varied significantly by year, season, and genetic line (P < 0.05). The Pietrain line showed the highest average abnormality frequency, whereas the rainy season exhibited the greatest proportion of abnor-mal sperm (P < 0.05). In conclusion, season and genetic line significantly influenced sperm morphology in breeding boars. Standardization and validation of morphological assessment are necessary in semen production centers and commercial pig farms