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. 1995 Mar 1;36(1):1–7. doi: 10.1186/BF03547698

Bacterial Flora of Semen Collected from Danish Warmblood Stallions by Artificial Vagina

M Maasen 11,✉, P Christensen 21
PMCID: PMC8095401  PMID: 7572447

Abstract

Semen samples were collected from 21 Danish Warmblood stallions by the Colorado artificial vagina (Colorado AV, 14 samples) or by the Missouri artificial vagina (Missouri AV, 7 samples). The semen was examined bacteriologically by direct plating (DP) on blood agar plates, and by plating of semen swabs stored in Stuart’s transport media (TM) at 4°C for 1–4 days. No significant differences were observed between results obtained by DP and cultures of identical TM samples. Of the 21 samples examined, only 1 TM (4.8%) and 2 DP samples (9.5%) were sterile, while the rest yielded a predominantly mixed flora comprising 1 to 4 bacterial genera. The natural flora was dominated by coagulase-negative staphylococci (Staphylococcus lentus, S. capitis, S. haemolyticus, S. xylosus) (16/21 = 76%), coryneforms (11/21 = 52%) and alpha-hemolytic streptococci and lactobacilli (7/21 = 33%). Potential venereal pathogens were isolated from 7 stallions (33%). Beta-hemolytic streptococci were found in 4 stallions used for natural service, whereas Pseudomonas aeruginosa serotype 6 (2 samples ) and Klebsiella pneumoniae subsp. pneumoniae capsule type K5 (1 sample) were isolated from 3 stallions used exclusively for artificial insemination. The role of the stallion as a carrier of potential venereal pathogens, and the artificial vagina as a source of contamination, is discussed in the context of mare endometritis.

Keywords: horse, artificial insemination, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to Drs Vibeke Thamdrup Rosdahl and Uffe B. Skov S0rensen of the State Serum Institute, Copenhagen for their assistance with the Klebsiella capsule typing and determinations of Pseudomonas aeruginosa serovars. The stud managers at the breeding stations are thanked for their help and cooperation during the sample collection sessions.

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