Evaluación morfológica y morfométrica de espermatozoides de camélidos sudamericanos mediante la tecnología CASA

Computerized assisted semen analysis (CASA) systems allow objective assessments of sperm quality, which could be used as an indicator of the fertility potential of breeding animals. The objective of this study was to review the state of the art on sperm evaluation using CASA-Morph technology in South American camelids. CASA-Morph systems objectively analyze sperm morphometry and detect abnormalities in the head and midpiece. The morphology and morphometry of sperm from alpacas, llamas, and vicuñas provide information to predict potential fertility and detect abnormalities that could affect embryonic development. Furthermore, the subjectivity associated with sperm quality assessments due to different operators is eliminated. The sperm head has been characterized by five persistent shapes in the ejaculate of South American camelids: normal, pear-shaped, long, short, and rounded. The information obtained from the CASA-Morph systems has allowed us to determine the heterogeneity of ejaculates through multivariate analysis of morphometric parameters, which allows us to classify sperm subpopulations. The identification of sperm subpopulations allows us to better understand the intra- and inter-individual variability of camelid ejaculates, which favors the selection of breeders and contributes to the development of more precise strategies for fertility management in these species.