پردیس کشاورزی و منابع طبیعی دانشگاه تهران Iranian Journal of animal Science 2008-4773 56 3 2025 09 23 Effect of different concentrations of ether extract of propolis on the sperm characteristics of Zel ram Effect of different concentrations of ether extract of propolis on the sperm characteristics of Zel ram 565 583 100529 10.22059/ijas.2025.386238.654048 FA Azin Vahdat Department of Animal Sciences, Faculty of Animal Science and Fisheries, Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University, Sari, Iran 0009-0009-9915-2648 Hamid Deldar Department of Animal science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Guilan, Rasht,, Iran 0000-0002-0863-8012 Zarbakht Ansari Pirsaraei Department of Animal Sciences, Faculty of Animal Science and Fisheries, Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University, Sari, Iran 0000-0003-2589-1463 Bahram Shohreh Department of Animal Sciences, Faculty of Animal Science and Fisheries, Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University, Sari, Iran 0009-0009-8559-2474 Essa Dirandeh Department of Animal Sciences, Faculty of Animal Science and Fisheries, Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University, Sari, Iran 0000-0002-0773-3966 Journal Article 2024 12 03 In the present study, the effect of ether extract of propolis on the semen characteristics of Zel's ram under short and long-term preservation was investigated. The experimental groups comprised different concentrations of ether extract (0, 0.25, 0.5, and 1 mg/mL) and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). The samples were evaluated at 0, 24, 48, and 72 hours after storage at 4 °C and following the freeze-thawing process. During the cold storage, sperm quality traits motility, viability, membrane integrity, mitochondrial activity, malondialdehyde concentration (MDA), and morphology increased significantly (P<0.05) at concentrations of 0.25 and 0.5 mg/mL ether extract in comparison with the control group. Our results revealed that the total motility, viability, and membrane integrity in the concentration of 0.5 mg/mL ether extract were higher than the control group (P<0.05) at 4 °C. Also, motility, viability and malondialdehyde concentration (MDA) were higher in concentrations of 0.25 mg/mL ether extract than in the control group in the freeze-thawing process. Mitochondrial activity and morphology of spermatozoid at 0.25 and 0.5 mg/mL ether extract were higher than the control group (P<0.05) in storage at 4 °C and freeze-thawing process. Results showed adding ether extract at the concentrations of 0.25 and 0.5 mg/mL to the semen extender improved the quality of spermatozoid in the Zel breed sheep.. In the present study, the effect of ether extract of propolis on the semen characteristics of Zel's ram under short and long-term preservation was investigated. The experimental groups comprised different concentrations of ether extract (0, 0.25, 0.5, and 1 mg/mL) and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). The samples were evaluated at 0, 24, 48, and 72 hours after storage at 4 °C and following the freeze-thawing process. During the cold storage, sperm quality traits motility, viability, membrane integrity, mitochondrial activity, malondialdehyde concentration (MDA), and morphology increased significantly (P<0.05) at concentrations of 0.25 and 0.5 mg/mL ether extract in comparison with the control group. Our results revealed that the total motility, viability, and membrane integrity in the concentration of 0.5 mg/mL ether extract were higher than the control group (P<0.05) at 4 °C. Also, motility, viability and malondialdehyde concentration (MDA) were higher in concentrations of 0.25 mg/mL ether extract than in the control group in the freeze-thawing process. Mitochondrial activity and morphology of spermatozoid at 0.25 and 0.5 mg/mL ether extract were higher than the control group (P<0.05) in storage at 4 °C and freeze-thawing process. Results showed adding ether extract at the concentrations of 0.25 and 0.5 mg/mL to the semen extender improved the quality of spermatozoid in the Zel breed sheep.. https://ijas.ut.ac.ir/article_100529_62dac597979812c186db6797d160f206.pdf