Seminal quality and neutral alpha-glucosidase activity after sequential electroejaculation of chinchilla (Ch. lanigera)

The objectives of this study of seminal quality of chinchilla (Chinchilla lanigera) males were to evaluate (1) the use of neutral alpha-glucosidase (NAG) as a functional epididymal marker in this species, and (2) the effects of repetitive electroejaculation on sperm function and seminal NAG concentration. Semen was obtained by electroejaculation from sexually mature domestic Ch. lanigera males (n = 6) once a week for six consecutive weeks, and evaluated to assess seminal volume and NAG activity, and sperm concentration and functional activity (motility, viability, membrane and acrosome integrity). Body weight was determined in all animals before each electroejaculation procedure. NAG activity was detected in all semen samples obtained, reaching a concentration of 55.4 ± 6.8 μU/mL. No significant variations were observed throughout the experimental period in any of the semen quality parameters evaluated. A reduction (P = 0.001) in body weight was detected from the third week of experimentation and by the end of the experiments the animals lost a 7.2 ± 0.9% of body weight. Overall, results in the present study confirm that NAG activity is detectable in chinchilla seminal plasma and that repetitive electroejaculation is not deleterious, on a short-term basis, to the semen characteristics.