This study tested the effect of different calcium lactate concentrations and incubation periods on the binding and penetration capacity of swine sperm to the perivitelline layers (PL) of chicken eggs, with the expectation of developing a test to estimate the potential fertility of boars used as sperm donors. In the first experiment, semen samples (n=12) were incubated with TCM medium ant two calcium lactate levels: 1.1 and 2.2µg mL-1. After the set up of fixed calcium lactate level (1.1µg mL-1), the second experiment compared three incubation periods: 10, 15 and 20min. The observed variables were binding rate (BR) and number of bound sperm (NB) in the outer PL, and penetration rate (PR) and number of holes (NH) in the inner PL. The BR to the outer MP was 100%, regardless of the tested concentrations and incubation periods. The NB to the outer perivitelline layer and the PR and the NH in the inner perivitelline layer were greater with 1.1µg mL-1 calcium lactate than 2.2µg mL-1. The NB in the outer PL was greater with 20min incubation than with shorter period (P<0.05). Using 10min incubation, there was no penetration in the inner PL, but, with incubation for 20min, the PR and the NH in the inner PL were greater than those with incubation for 15 min (P<0.05). Using 1.1µg mL-1 calcium lactate and incubation for 20min, the in vitro test using PL can be efficiently conducted to assess important steps of the fertilization process.
fertility; semen; in vitro test; seminal quality
