Effect of Dietary Fish Oil on Semen Quality and Reproductive Performance of Iranian Zandi Rams

Document Type : Original Articles

Authors

1 Animal Science Research Institute of Iran (ASRI), Agricultural Research Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Karaj, Iran

2 Department of Research, Breeding and Production of Laboratory Animals, Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute, Agricultural Research Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Karaj, Iran

Abstract

The current study was conducted to evaluate the effect of dietary fish oil on the semen quality and fertility potential of Zandi rams. For this purpose, a total of 15 Iranian Zandi rams were randomly assigned into three equal groups. The first group was a negative control and were fed without oil supplement. The second group was a positive control, and their diet contained palm oil, and the last group had a diet containing fish oil. All the diets were isocaloric and isonitrogenous. The rams were fed for 70 days, and the semen smaples were collected every 10 days. In experiment I, the evaluated parameters included semen volume, sperm concentration, motility, membrane integrity, and viability. In experiment II, 210 Iranian Zandi rams received CIDR for 12 days and 400 IU of equine chorionic gonadotropin at the time of CIDR removal. Then, they were assigned into three equal groups and artificially inseminated with semen samples. According to the obtained results, the supplementation of ram diet with fish oil as a source of omega-3 fatty acids improved the semen volume, sperm concentration, total motility, progressive motility, viability, membrane integrity, pregnancy rate, parturition rate, and lambing rate of the rams (P≤0.05). In conclusion, fish oil as a dietary supplement for rams could be an effective strategy to improve the semen quality of rams for artificial insemination and other goals.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Article Title [French]

Effet de l'huile de Poisson Diététique sur la Qualité du Sperme et les Performances de Reproduction des Béliers Iraniens de Zandi

Abstract [French]

Cette étude avait pour but d’évaluer l'effet de l'huile de poisson diététique sur la qualité du sperme et le potentiel de fertilité des béliers Zandi. Dans ce but, un total de 15 béliers iraniens Zandi ont été répartis au hasard en trois groupes égaux. Le premier groupe a été nourris sans supplément d'huile et représentait le témoin négatif. Le deuxième groupe (témoin positif) a reçu un régime alimentaire contenaant de l'huile de palme, alors que le régime du dernier groupe contenait de l'huile de poisson. Tous les régimes étaient isocaloriques et isonitrogènes. Les béliers ont été nourris pendant 8 semaines et les échantillons de sperme ont été prélevés une fois par semaine. Dans l'expérience I, les paramètres évalués comprenaient le volume de sperme, la concentration de sperme, la motilité, l'intégrité de la membrane et la viabilité. Dans l'expérience II, 210 béliers iraniens de Zandi ont reçu du CIDR pendant 12 jours et 400 UI de gonadotrophine chorionique équine au moment de l'élimination du CIDR. Ensuite, ils ont été répartis en trois groupes égaux et inséminés artificiellement avec des échantillons de sperme. Selon les résultats obtenus, la supplémentation du régime des béliers avec de l'huile de poisson comme source d'acides gras oméga-3 a amélioré le volume de sperme, la concentration de spermatozoïdes, la motilité totale, la motilité progressive, la viabilité, l'intégrité de la membrane, le taux de gestation ainsi queles taux de parturition et d'agnelage des béliers (P ≤ 0,05). En conclusion, l’utilisation de l'huile de poisson comme complément alimentaire pour les béliers, pourrait être une stratégie efficace pour améliorer la qualité du sperme utilisé pour l'insémination artificielle ainsi que pour d'autres objectifs.

Keywords [French]

  • insémination artificielle
  • huile de poisson
  • qualité du sperme
  • béliers Zandi

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Archives of Razi Institute
Volume 76, Issue 3
September 2021
Pages 621-629

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