The technique of using saline-coated silica particles in solution to filter and therefore enhance semen quality in humans has been around for years. Now, it is being tried to improve semen of stallions. Information about this procedure was presented at the AAEP Convention by Margo MacPherson, DVM, MS, of the University of Florida, from a study done in collaboration by the University of Florida and Texas A&M University.

MacPherson said a company called NidaCon International recently investigated the use of saline-coated particles for animal sperm. MacPherson was part of the team that studied their product, EquiPure, for separating and selecting stallion sperm cell populations.

Basically, EquiPure coated particles are in a test-tube type container. When semen is added, the particles act as a filter to help trap sperm with defects. MacPherson said many sperm with abnormal midpieces, bent tails, and coiled tails were trapped using EquiPure.

Therefore, the researchers concluded that EquiPure was effective for selecting morphologically normal sperm, and this method could be useful in preparing sperm of subfertile stallions for low-dose insemination programs