This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of interacting seminal plasma proteins (iSPP) obtained by AV or EE on frozen-thawed ram sperm in order to test the hypothesis whether this fraction could be sufficient to emulate the effect of complete seminal plasma (SP). Additionally, we evaluated whether these proteins have a differential effect between spermatozoa from high and low fertility rams and between breeding and non-breeding seasons. We assessed sperm motility, quality parameters (intracellular reactive oxygen species, membrane fluidity, plasma membrane permeability and mitochondrial activity) and capacitation status. The main findings from this work were: i) iSPP had no effect on sperm motility, whereas SP (AV or EE) addition produced the highest values of total motility (74.13±2.99 and 72.27±2.99 for AV and EE, respectively) and progressive motility (64.97±2.64 and 63.73±2.64 for AV and EE, respectively); ii) iSPP had no effect on sperm quality parameters (p>0.05), but whole SP improved all parameters evaluated. Moreover, SP collected by AV yielded significantly higher viability (44.60±2.87) and sperm with stable plasma membrane (44.56±2.49) comparing with the addition of SP collected by EE (35.80±2.47 and 36.67±1.71, respectively); iii) iSPP and SP collected by EE, but not by AV, reverted molecular signals of capacitation as protein tyrosine phosphorylation caused by freezing temperatures; iv) there were no effects of fertility or season in sperm quality parameters evaluated. This study demonstrated that, although the iSPP have a clear decapacitating effect, including the ability to revert cryo-capacitation indicators, they are not sufficient to emulate the effects of complete SP regarding sperm functional parameters.
Thirty-six grazing dairy cows were used to determine the effect of combinations of soybean (SO), and linseed (LO) oils on milk production, composition and milk fatty acid (FA) profile. Treatments were a basal control diet (56% pasture, 44% concentrate) or the control diet supplemented with oils at 4% of estimated total dry matter (DM) intake. Oils were manually mixed to the concentrate in pure forms (SO100 or LO100) or in blends (%w/w) at SO75 -LO25, SO50 -LO50 and SO25 -LO75. Concentrate and oils were thoroughly consumed. Pasture intake (kg DM/cow•day) was 9.27 in control and decreased (p < 0.05) in SO25 -LO75 (8.09) and LO100 (8.98). Total DM intake (kg/cow•day) in control (16.47) increased (p < 0.05) to 17.04 in SO100 and 17.20 in SO75. Yield of fat corrected milk (4% FCM) averaged 20.73 kg in control resulting higher in SO75 (23.73 kg). Milk fat content (g/100g) in control averaged 3.40 and decreased to 2.79 in SO50-LO50 and to 3.06 in SO25 -LO75 treatments. Milk protein content was not affected and milk protein yield increased in SO100 (11%) and SO75 -LO25 (21%) . Results obtained confirmed a great milk fat plasticity in response to PUFA feeding in grazing dairy cows which constitutes a very effective and easy tool in order to improve the healthy value of milk with a potential benefit to the consumer's health. A net or conclusive response pattern over parameters that improve the healthy value of milk to soybean and linseed oils and their blends was not clearly detected. Taken together, the results suggest some advantage for the SO75:LO25 blend considering the relative costs of both oils, the positive effects on milk, fat and protein yields, the lower hypercholesterolemic FA content of milk and the increase in VA and RA content while maintaining a healthy n − 6/n − 3 ratio and very low levels of the detrimental trans-9 C18:1 and trans-10 C18:1 FA.
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