VGO 511: Veterinary Andrology and Reproductive Techniques (1+1)

COLOUR

• Bull and buck semen is highly concentrated and hence the colour of their semen may be milky white, creamy or opaque.
• Buffalo semen is whitish when compared to bull semen. (Click here to view picture).

In cattle bulls the pigment riboflavin secreted from ampulla and seminal vesicle provides yellow colour to the semen.

• In stallion, boar and dog, the colour of semen is pearly white to grey and translucent.
• Any deviation from the normal color should be suspected for pathological conditions.

Colour is an indication of semen quality. Any deviation from normal colour of semen is considered as abnormal.

Based on color bull semen is graded as

• Creamy
• Thick milky
• Milky
• Thin milky
• Watery
• The colour of semen depends upon the concentration of spermatozoa. The highly concentrated semen will be creamy in colour and if there is only very few or no sperms then the colour will be watery. (Click here to view picture).
• Yellow colour of semen is normal in some bulls due to riboflavin content, which is secreted, from ampulla or seminal vesicles. (Click here to view picture).
• Certain abnormal colours encountered are

Colour	Abnormal due to
Brownish	Orchitis due to blood pigments
Dark red to pink blood	Hemorrhage in male reproductive tract
Yellow green	Pseudomonas aerogenosa infection - pus This colour appears on keeping semen for some time after collection
Light brown	Contamination with faeces / dung
Dull and dirty white	Increased number of spermatogenic cells
Yellow	Presence of urine
Chunk clots/Curdy appearance	Infection

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