Vitamin C and vitamin E supplementation alleviates oxidative stress induced by dexamethasone and improves fertility of breeder roosters.
This study was conducted to determine the effect of supplemental dietary vitamin C (VC) and vitamin E (VE) on improving semen quality and antioxidative status in breeder roosters challenged with dexamethasone (DEX). 120 45-week-old Lveyang black-boned breeder roosters were divided into 5 experimental treatments, including negative group, positive group, and three trial groups, which were fed basal diet supplemented with 300mg/kg VC, 200mg/kg VE, or 300mg/kg VC and 200mg/kg VE (VC+VE). At 49 weeks of age, the positive control and trial groups were subcutaneously injected 3 times every other day with DEX 4 mg/kg body weight, the negative control group was sham injected with saline. At 50 weeks of age, average daily feed intake of birds challenged with DEX significantly increased (P<0.05), however, serum testosterone significantly decreased (P<0.05). Dietary supplementation of VC+VE enhanced serum testosterone and sperm motility remarkably (P<0.05). There were no differences in sperm viability between the DEX-treated groups. During the post-stress recovery period (52 weeks of age), dietary supplementation of VE and VC+VE significantly increased the body weight of birds under oxidative stress (P<0.01). VC, VE, and VC+VE groups had greater sperm viability than control group (P<0.01). Additionally, there was a decrease in the semen plasma malondialdehyde content (P<0.05) of the VC and VC+VE groups, and in the testicular malondialdehyde content (P<0.01) of the VE and VC+VE groups. In summary, VC, VE, especially their combination alleviate the oxidative stress induced by DEX and are favorable for the fertility of breeder roosters.
College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China.
Yuna
Y
Min
College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China.
Tongtong
T
Sun
College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China.
Zhuye
Z
Niu
College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China. Electronic address: lfz@nwsuaf.edu.cn.
Fuzhu
F
Liu
D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002645:Chickens / Q000502:physiology*; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000009:adverse effects*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005298:Fertility / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D055101:Semen Analysis / Q000662:veterinary; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D014810:Vitamin E; D003907:Dexamethasone; D001205:Ascorbic Acid
Breeder rooster; Fertility; Oxidative stress; Vitamin C; Vitamin E