Dietary flax seed oil and/or Vitamin E improve sperm parameters of cloned goats following freezing-thawing.

Semen cryopreservation is affected by individual differences and use of clones animal from the same source is the main tool to eliminate genetic variation. Among many nutrients that are necessary for fertility, essential fatty acids and antioxidants are vital for production of healthy sperm by improving sperm membrane integrity and protecting sperm from oxidative stress. The goal of the current study was to investigate whether a flax seed oil or/and Vitamin E dietary supplementation could improve semen quality of cloned bucks following semen cryopreservation. Accordingly, eight adult cloned Bakhtiari bucks were divided randomly into four groups. Bucks were offered a base diet of hay and concentrate. The concentrate was enriched with flax seed oil, 30 gr/kg body weight/day (OIL), Vitamin E (VIT), 3 gr/kg body weight/day, or combined flax seed oil and the vitamin E (OIL-VIT). The concentrate with no supplements was considered as control group (CONT). Both flax seed oil and Vitamin E supplements were added to the total diet. The bucks were fed with their corresponding diets for a total of 9 weeks while sperm collection was carried out within 10-14 weeks. Ejaculates were diluted with Andromed® and were frozen in liquid nitrogen. Sperm parameters and reactive oxygen species (ROS) contents were evaluated following freezing/thawing. According to the results of our study, dietary supplementation with flax seed oil, or/and Vitamin E can improve sperm motility, vitality and number of sperm with intact plasma membrane following freezing-thawing. But the degree of improvement in these parameters was significantly higher when Flax seed oil and vitamin E were co-supplemented.

Kargar R ，Forouzanfar M ，Ghalamkari G ，Nasr Esfahani MH ... -  《-》

Pomegranate seed in diet, affects sperm parameters of cloned goats following freezing-thawing.

Semen cryopreservation is affected by individual differences and use of cloned animal from the same source is the main tool to eliminate genetic variation. Pomegranate seed (PS) contains fatty acids and phenolic compounds which have antioxidant properties. Essential fatty acids and antioxidants are vital for production of healthy sperm by improving sperm membrane integrity and protecting sperm from oxidative stress. In this study, the effect of dietary supplementation of PS on some blood metabolites and sperm parameters following freezing-thawing of semen of cloned goats were investigated. 5-6 years cloned male goats (N = 9, 50 ± 2 kg) were randomly assigned to three different isocaloric and isonitogenous diet groups: supplemented with 0 (control), 30 and 60% (g/100 g of barley) replaced with PS for a total of 9 weeks. Sperm collection was carried out within 10-14 weeks. Semen samples were diluted whit cryo-protectant and frozen in liquid nitrogen. Sperm parameters, reactive oxygen species (ROS) as well as, ability to induce fertilization were evaluated following freezing/thawing. According to the results of our study, treatment with PS induce higher plasma cholesterol production compared to control group at 8th week. However, testosterone and MDA (malondialdehyde) level of blood plasma were not significantly affected by PS treatment. In comparison to control group, PS supplementation significantly improved total sperm motility and viability in both 30 and 60% PS groups and reduced ROS production. Cleavage rate and developmental competency to blastocyst stage were similar to fresh sperm. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with PS can improve sperm motility and viability following freezing-thawing and maintain developmental competency.

Zarepourfard H ，Riasi A ，Frouzanfar M ，Hajian M ，Nasr Esfahani MH ... -  《-》

Influences of a diet supplemented with linseed oil and antioxidants on quality of equine semen after cooling and cryopreservation during winter.

Seasonal changes in the reproductive physiology of stallions contribute to a decrease in the quality of frozen-thawed semen during late winter. Changes in the lipid composition of the sperm plasma membrane may contribute to this phenomenon. In the present study, we have, therefore, investigated the effects of adding linseed oil (LO) in combination with antioxidants to the diet of breeding stallions on the motility and membrane integrity of cooled-stored and cryopreserved semen. Starting in November, the diet of LO stallions (n = 6) but not control (C) stallions (n = 5) was supplemented with LO (100 mL once daily) plus an antioxidant (Myostem Protect; Audevard, Clichy, France) for a total of 84 days. Before (November) and at the end of this period (February), ejaculates were processed for cryopreservation (n = 3 ejaculates per stallion) and cooled shipping at 5 °C. Frozen-thawed and cooled-shipped semen was sent to the laboratory for computer-assisted semen analysis of total motility, progressive motility, and velocity parameters (average path velocity [VAP], curved line velocity [VCL], and straight-line velocity [VSL]) and evaluation of membrane integrity. The quality of frozen-thawed semen decreased (P < 0.05) from November (e.g., total motility LO 69 ± 3% and C 67 ± 3%) to February (total motility: LO 55 ± 4% and C 59 ± 3%) independent of treatment (P > 0.05). A decrease in the velocity parameters VAP, VCL, and VSL was more pronounced in LO stallions than in C stallions (e.g., VSL: November LO 67 ± 1 μm/s, C 64 ± 2 μm/s; February LO 59 ± 2 μm/s, C 63 ± 2 μm/s; interaction month by treatment, P < 0.05). In cooled-stored semen, total motility, progressive motility, and membrane integrity were lower in February than in November (P < 0.001 for all parameters). Supplementation of the diet with LO and antioxidants attenuated this decrease (e.g., Day 1 of cooled storage = 24 hours after semen collection: total motility in November LO 88 ± 1% and C 87 ± 3%; in February LO 83 ± 2% and C 73 ± 11%; interaction month by treatment: P < 0.05). Velocity parameters VAP, VCL, and VSL were significantly lower in February than in November (P < 0.001), but this decrease was not affected by treatment. In summary, dietary supplementation of stallions with LO plus antioxidants attenuated a decline in motility and membrane integrity of cooled-stored stallion semen during winter. This may improve the fertility of cooled-shipped semen. In contrast, the treatment did not counteract the decrease in quality of frozen-thawed semen that occurs in late winter.

Schmid-Lausigk Y ，Aurich C 《-》

The effect of superoxide dismutase mimetic and catalase on the quality of postthawed goat semen.

Manganese(III) meso-tetrakis(N-ethylpyridinium-2-yl)porphyrin chloride (MnTE) is a cell-permeable superoxide dismutase mimetic agent which can convert superoxide to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Supplementation of MnTE to a commercial semen extender can protect sperm from superoxide but not H2O2. Therefore, we proposed that addition of catalase (0.0, 200, or 400 IU/mL) in combination with MnTE (0.1 μM) may further improve the cryopreservation efficiency of goat semen in commercially optimized freezing media such as Andromed. Therefore, ejaculates were obtained from three adult bucks twice a week during the breeding season and diluted with Andromed supplemented with or without MnTE and catalase and were frozen in liquid nitrogen. Sperm parameters and reactive oxygen species contents were evaluated 2 hours after dilution (before freezing) and after freezing/thawing. The results revealed that all the treatments significantly (P ≤ 0.05) improved sperm motility, viability, and membrane integrity after freezing and reduced reactive oxygen species content compared with the control group, but maximum improvement was obtained in MnTE + 400 IU/mL catalase. In addition, supplementation with these antioxidants significantly (P ≤ 0.05) increases the cleavage rate after IVF. In conclusion, the results of present study suggest that addition of antioxidant MnTE or catalase to commercial optimized media, such as Andromed, improves total motility, membrane integrity, and viability of goat semen samples after thawing. But the degree of improvement for these parameters significantly (P ≤ 0.05) higher when MnTE and catalase were simultaneously added to the cryopreservation media.

Shafiei M ，Forouzanfar M ，Hosseini SM ，Esfahani MH ... -  《-》

Dietary supplementation with flaxseed oil as source of Omega-3 fatty acids improves seminal quality and reproductive performance in aged broiler breeder roosters.

Reproductive performance in aged broiler breeder roosters is not desirable. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of dietary flaxseed oil and vitamin E on the semen parameters, hormonal profiles, fatty acid analysis of sperm, and fertility performance of aged roosters. Twenty four roosters were assigned into four treatments and received their diets as following: 1) basal diet as control group (CTRL), 2) basal diet supplemented with 200 mg/kg vitamin E (CTRL + VITE), 3) basal diet supplemented with 2% flaxseed oil (FLAX) and 4) basal diet supplemented with 2% flaxseed oil plus 200 mg/kg vitamin E (FLAX + VITE). Roosters were fed their diets for 60 days and then, different characteristics of reproduction in the roosters were examined during experiment. Different diets affected semen parameters (P ≤ 0.05) except semen volume and morphology. Various characteristics of semen were significant (P ≤ 0.05) during different times of experiment excluding the total motility, membrane integrity and morphology. The higher percentage of sperm concentration, total motility, progressive motility, viability and membrane integrity accorded with a lower lipid peroxidation were observed in the roosters fed diet of FLAX + VITE (P ≤ 0.05). A higher concentration of testosterone was detected in roosters fed FALX + VITE at day 60 (P ≤ 0.05). Moreover, the percentage docosapantaenoic acid (DPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) of sperm were increased in the diet of FLAX (P ≤ 0.05). Finally, rate of fertility after artificial insemination was significantly higher in the diet of FLAX + VITE. It seems that supplementation of aged roosters' diet with flaxseed oil and VITE improves the semen performance and fertility potential that can be a suitable strategy to preserve the reproductive performance of aged rooters.

Zanussi HP ，Shariatmadari F ，Sharafi M ，Ahmadi H ... -  《-》