Table 2

Chromatin damage in stallion spermatozoa indicated by DFI (DNA fragmentation index, %), its standard deviation (SD_DFI) and the measure of single stranded DNA (mean_DFI). Values are expressed as means ± SD of aliquots of extended ejaculates from eleven stallions (n = 37).

Stallion (no. ejaculates)
DFI
SD_DFI
Mean DFI

A (3)
5.3 ± 0.5
47.7 ± 67.0
278.6 ± 9.4
F (4)
8.7 ± 3.3
48.6 ± 6.6
280.2 ± 16.2
G (3)
9.2 ± 1.4
48.6 ± 7.0
273.9 ± 3.2
H (3)
17.9 ± 4.5
64.0 ± 8.7
291.7 ± 13.1
K (4)
12.5 ± 2.8
58.7 ± 4.6
267.0 ± 6.5
Q (3)
5.7 ± 1.1
46.3 ± 2.8
277.8 ± 4.6
R (3)
8.4 ± 3.6
54.7 ± 6.4
283.6 ± 7.3
T (3)
11.1 ± 6.3
56.3 ± 5.3
287.5 ± 13.1
W (3)
13.9 ± 3.0
86.5 ± 13.4
302.5 ± 14.8
Y (4)
11.4 ± 2.7
56.7 ± 4.1
288.8 ± 4.1
Z (4)
12.6 ± 2.6
86.4 ± 8.1
297.8 ± 9.7
Overall Mean ± SD
11.6 ± 13.4
56.4 ± 14.4
311.0 ± 8.37
Range
4.8–19.0
41.5–98.9
267.7–319.5

Notes: DFI gives a measure of the proportion of spermatozoa with damaged chromatin; SD_DFI is the standard deviation of DFI; mean_DFI is a measure of single stranded DNA. Variation between stallions is statistically significant for DFI and SD_DFI (P < 0.001), variation between ejaculates is significant only for mean_DFI (P < 0.05).

Morrell et al. Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica 2008 50:2   doi:10.1186/1751-0147-50-2