Feed supplementation with palm kernel cake-based concentrate increases the quality of water buffalo semen
Santos, A. XKahwage, P. RFaturi, CQuinzeiro Neto, TLourenço Junior, J. BJoele, M. R. S. PGarcia, A. R
[...] Fifteen water buffalos kept on pasture were used as semen donors. The animals received daily dietary supplementation (1% of body weight ) for 252 days, and were divided into three groups: Control ( n = 5; conventional concentrate), CM - Base ( n = 5; coconut meal concentrate) , and PKC - Base ( n = 5; palm kernel cake concentrate). Aspect, color, volume, pH, gross motility, vigor, progressive sperm motility, plasma membrane integrity, and sperm morphology of ejaculates were evaluated (173 samples). The daily average for voluntary concentrate intake was 4.778 ± 1.233 kg in the Control group , 3.112 ± 0.693 kg in CM - Base, and 4.558 ± 1.077 kg in PKC - Base group ( P > 0. 05). Diet based on palm kernel cake supplementation had a positive effect on semen quality. The plasma membrane integrity levels were increased in PKC - Base animals (Control: 68.0 ± 19.5; CM - Base: 72.0 ± 22.6; PKC - Base: 8 2.1 ± 12.2; P < 0.05). In addition, progressive sperm motility was higher in the PKC - Base group (71.7 ± 15.1% PKC - Base; 59.3 ± 20.5% Control; 56.7 ± 24.8% CM - Base; P < 0.05). Lower sperm concentration values were observed in the PKC - Base group, but they did not deviate from the physiological standards from 524.10 ± 20.70 to 1,031.4 ± 28.70 x 10 6 sptz/m l, or of 1,493 x 10 6 sptz/m l . The other sperm parameters did not have significant differences (P > 0.05) .Hence, palm kernel cake - based dietary supplementation for water buffalos provided more lipids and minerals, which intake is related to the improvement of sperm quality, with higher sperm motility an d higher levels of spermatozoa with plasma membrane integrity (AU)
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