Relationship between ATP content and motility in bovine spermatozoa with reference to the effects of the bull and the A.I. centre.

Deep-frozen semen from 28 bulls belonging to 6 different A.I. centres was studied after thawing and the ATP content in the spermatozoa was assayed using a bioluminescence technique. The sperm motility was subjectively estimated under a phase contrast microscope and the sperm concentration of each ejaculate was calculated in a haemocytometer. The overall mean ATP content was 16.6 nmoles ATP/spermatozoa x 10(8). There was a significant variation in ATP content between A.I. centres. Significant differences between bulls in ATP content were found as well as a significant correlation between ATP concentration and the number of motile spermatozoa. This may indicate that ATP assessment may be useful as an additional, objective laboratory test.