Sperm Kinematics and Their Relationship to Semen Quality in Murrah and Silangit Buffalo Bulls

Semen quality is a critical factor determining the success of artificial insemination in livestock breeding programs. Objective assessment of sperm movement is essential for predicting fertility potential. This study aimed to analyze the correlation between conventional semen quality parameters and objective kinematic metrics in cryopreserved semen from Murrah and a local Indonesian buffalo breed using computer-assisted sperm analysis. Semen samples from three bulls of each breed, collected across three different batches, were used. For analysis, data from individual bulls were pooled into a single dataset for each respective breed. Semen quality was evaluated for motility, viability, morphological abnormalities, and plasma membrane integrity. Breed differences were analyzed using an independent samples t-test, and differences between individual bulls within breed were assessed using ANOVA followed by Tukey’s post hoc test, while the relationship between quality and kinematic parameters was assessed via Pearson correlation. Motility and viability were significantly positively correlated with key kinematic parameters, including progressive movement (PR; r = .76). Conversely, higher sperm abnormalities were negatively associated with movement efficiency (PR; r = −.51). The Murrah breed also

exhibited significantly higher motility than the local breed. Objective kinematic analysis provides a reliable assessment of sperm function. Computer-assisted sperm analysis–derived parameters can be effectively used to select superior bulls, thereby enhancing the success rates of artificial insemination in buffalo breeding programs.

Cite this article as: Munte, J. S., Sutikno, S., Maulana, T., Hasan, F., & Sumantri, C. (2026). Sperm kinematics and their relationship to semen quality in murrah and silangit buffalo bulls. Acta Veterinaria Eurasia, 52, 0274, doi: 10.5152/actavet.2026.25274.