title: Effects of dietary n-3 fatty acids and vitamin C on semen characteristics, lipid composition of sperm and blood metabolites in fat-tailed Moghani rams.
abstract: Sixteen fertile rams were randomly allotted to four groups and fed either of the four diets for 14 weeks: (1) control diet (COD) without fish oil (FO) and vitamin C (VC), (2) diet containing 2.5% FO (FOD), (3) diet containing 300 mg/kg DM VC (VCD), and (4) diet containing 2.5% FO and 300 mg/kg DM VC (FCD). Semen was collected at 14-d intervals from 1 April to 10 July (out of the physiologic breeding season in Iran). Semen volume and percentages of motile and progressively motile sperm were increased by FO and VC feeding. A significant interaction was also found between FOD and VCD on motility and progressive motility percentage (P<0.05). HOS-test and percentage of sperm with normal acrosome improved significantly by FO and VC. Rams fed FCD had better HOS-test and higher proportion of sperm with normal acrosome than rams in other groups (82.4 and 93.6%, respectively). Diets containing FO and FO and VC increased the proportion of docosahexaenoic acid in sperm (P<0.05). The activity of lactate dehydrogenase in the seminal fluid was significantly affected by VC and the interaction between FO and VC (P<0.05). Blood metabolites, except glucose, were affected positively by FO. The results showed that dietary supplementation with FO and VC improved seminal quality and may have beneficial effects on fertility in Moghani rams.
authors.affiliation: Department of Agriculture, Payame Noor University, Ardebil, Iran. Electronic address: morteza_jafaroghli@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jafaroghli
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture Sciences, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran. Electronic address: abdibenemar@uma.ac.ir.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Abdi-Benemar
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran. Electronic address: zamiri@shirazu.ac.ir.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Zamiri
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Agriculture, Jafar-Abad Livestock Central Research Institute, Ardabil, Iran. Electronic address: Behrkhalili@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Khalili
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Iran. Electronic address: afarshad@uok.ac.ir.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Farshad
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Sciences, College of Agriculture, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran. Electronic address: shadparvar@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Shadparvar
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary; D004041:Dietary Fats; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood* / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D012661:Semen / Q000502:physiology; D055101:Semen Analysis / Q000662:veterinary; D012756:Sheep / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D004041:Dietary Fats; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D008055:Lipids; D001205:Ascorbic Acid
keywords: Fish oil; Moghani ram; Nutrition; Semen; Vitamin C