title: Effect of docosahexaenoic acid and alpha-tocopherol enrichment in chicken sperm on semen quality, sperm lipid composition and susceptibility to peroxidation.
abstract: The aim of the present experiment was to study the effect of fish oil and Vitamin E rich diets on semen production, sperm functions and composition in broiler breeders. The following parameters were measured: semen volume and concentration, sperm motility and viability, sperm susceptibility to induced peroxidation, sperm lipid and alpha-tocopherol contents. Dietary n-3 PUFA were successfully transferred into spermatozoan phospholipid by fish oil feeding according to the following main features: (a) the C22:6n-3 and C22:5n - 3 contents were increased, but C22:4n-6 remained the peculiar and major polyunsaturate; (b) the content and proportion of total PUFA did not change; (c) the proportional increase of n-3 PUFA was compensated by the decrease of n-6 PUFA, an increase in the proportion of n-9 fatty acids was also found. The sperm content of alpha-tocopherol was doubled increasing the dietary availability of the vitamin to 300 mg/kg of feed. The specific n-3 PUFA and Vitamin E enrichment of chicken sperm affected cell functions. Significant interactions between the two treatments were also found for some parameters. The best sperm quality condition in control sperm (rich mainly in n-6 PUFA) was found supplying 200mg Vitamin E/kg of feed to the male breeders, and in contrast in n-3 rich sperm supplying 300 mg Vitamin E/kg.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Science and Technology for Food Safety (VSA), University of Milan, via Trentacoste 2, 20134 Milan, Italy. silvia.cerolini@unimi.it
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cerolini
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zaniboni
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maldjian
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gliozzi
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens / Q000502:physiology*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000502:physiology*; D008055:Lipids / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D011786:Quality Control; D012661:Semen / Q000166:cytology*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000737:chemistry*; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol