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The study was conducted to evaluate the quality of cryopreserved buffalo and zebu semen thawed and held at low temperature. Progressive motility of frozen semen thawed in a 37 °C water bath for 45 s (control) was compared with that of semen held in ice water (3-5 °C) for 180 min. Semen collected from 3 buffalo and 2 zebu bulls was used for this purpose over 3 weeks (replicates). Fertility was compared after performing 28 inseminations with buffalo semen and 100 inseminations with zebu semen either after control thawing or thawing straws in ice water for 30-60 min. Progressive motility of buffalo and zebu semen thawed and held in ice water for 30 and 90 min, respectively, was not different from that of semen thawed at 37 °C. The conception rate of buffaloes and zebu cows (69.2% and 60.0%) inseminated after control thawing was higher than that of animals inseminated with semen kept in ice water for 30 60 min (53.3% and 47.7%). However, the difference between conception rates after insemination with the 2 thawing methods was not significant in either case. It is concluded that there was a trend for decreased fertility for both buffalo and zebu semen when inseminations were performed after thawing and holding semen for 30-60 min in ice water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]