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Saturated, omega‐6 and omega‐3 dietary fatty acid effects on the characteristics of fresh, frozen–thawed semen and blood parameters in rams
Author(s) -
Esmaeili V.,
Shahverdi A. H.,
Alizadeh A. R.,
Alipour H.,
Chehrazi M.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
andrologia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.633
H-Index - 59
eISSN - 1439-0272
pISSN - 0303-4569
DOI - 10.1111/and.12040
Subject(s) - semen , zoology , sperm , semen quality , sunflower oil , food science , fish oil , biology , chemistry , fatty acid , palm oil , cryopreservation , biochemistry , botany , fish <actinopterygii> , anatomy , fishery , embryo , microbiology and biotechnology
Summary The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of several dietary fatty acids ( FA s) on semen quality and blood parameters in rams. We gave diet‐supplemented treatments (35 g day −1 ram −1 ) by C16:0 (palm oil), C18:2 [sunflower oil ( SO )] and an n‐3 source [fish oil ( FO )] to 12 rams, who were fed for 15 weeks during their breeding season. Semen was collected once per week. Semen samples were extended with Tris‐based cryoprotective diluents, then cooled to 5 °C and stored in liquid nitrogen. Positive responses were seen with FO after 4 weeks. The mean prefreezing semen characteristics improved with the intake of FO ( P < 0.05). Interestingly, maximum sperm output in FO was achieved 7.5 × 10 9 when compared to palm oil 5.3 × 10 9 . Rams that received FO had the highest total testosterone concentrations (11.3 ng ml −1 for FO , 10.8 ng ml −1 for SO and 10.2 ng ml −1 for palm oil) during the experiment ( P < 0.05). FO also improved the rams' sperm characteristics after thawing ( P < 0.05). Although C16:0 is a major saturated FA in ram sperm and all rams have been fed isoenergetic rations, the unique FA s of FO improved fresh semen quality and freezing ability compared to other oils.