title: Testicular and epididymal sperm reserves and sperm production of pubertal boars fed dietary fumonisin B(1).
abstract: Twenty-four male Large White weaning pigs of 8-9 weeks of age averaging 6.94+/-0.26 kg were used to evaluate the effect of dietary fumonisin B(1) (FB(1)) on sperm reserves and production of pubertal boars. The animals were randomly assigned to 4 diets containing 0.2, 5.0, 10.0 and 15.0 mg FB(1)/kg constituting the control, diets 1, 2 and 3, respectively, in a 6-month feeding trial. Dietary FB(1) above 5mg/kg significantly (P<0.05) reduced testicular and epididymal sperm reserves as well as the daily sperm production (DSP) per boar. The total caudal sperm reserves of the animals on diets 2 and 3 were about 70% of those on the control diet. The DSP of the animals on the control diet and diet 1 were significantly (P<0.05) higher than those on diets 2 and 3. The study revealed that male weaning pigs for breeding should not be exposed to dietary FB(1) higher than 5mg/kg for no suppression in sperm production and reproductive performance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Biology and Fisheries, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Nigeria. dejiprecious@yahoo.com
authors.forename: F A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Gbore
authors.forename: G N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Egbunike
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004822:Epididymis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D037341:Fumonisins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D011897:Random Allocation; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D013552:Swine / Q000502:physiology*; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D037341:Fumonisins; C056933:fumonisin B1