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2020) Effect of Moringa oleifera seed extract on antioxidant activity and sperm characteristics in cryopreserved ram semen, ABSTRACT Semen cryopreservation damages sperm due to oxidative stress. This study evaluated the antioxidant capacity of Moringa oleifera seed extract in cryopreserved ram semen and the impact of the extract on sperm characteristics. Semen from eight hair rams (four rams per sampling) was allocated into four groups, according to their treatment prior to cryopreservation: Control (no extract), 0.5 (M0.5), 5.0 (M5.0), and 10.0 (M10) mg/mL of M. oleifera extract. The antioxidant activity (ferric reducing antioxidant power, FRAP) and the spermatic characteristics (sperm viability; progressive motility; fast motility; slow motility; acrosome damage; membrane damage; and mitochondrial activity) were assessed post-thawing. Variables were evaluated with analysis of variance followed by Tukey test. While no significant differences were detected in acrosomal damage, mitochondrial activity, fast-, or slow motility, the antioxidant activity was higher (P < 0.05) in M0.5 and M5 treatments. Viability and progressive motility increased in the M0.5 group (P < 0.05), whereas sperm membrane damage was lower (P < 0.05) in the same treatment. In conclusion, supplementation of ram semen with M. oleifera seed extract enhances antioxidant activity, sperm membrane integrity, viability, and progressive motility after thawing. This suggests that M. oleifera extract could be used as an antioxidant to improve the outcome of semen cryopreservation. Highlights. It is widely known that semen cryopreservation induces sublethal damage to sperm, deteriorating spermatic characteristics, which is largely attributed to oxidative stress. . There are scarce studies regarding the use of plant extracts as a replacement for conventional antioxidants to conserve sperm viability in cryopreserved ram semen. . Addition of Moringa oleifera seed extract to a concentration of 0.5 and 5.0 mg/mL prior to ram semen freezing increased antioxidant activity after cryopreservation. . M. oleifera seed extract at 0.5 mg/mL decreased post-thawing damage to the sperm membrane, increasing both viability and progressive motility. . M. oleifera seed extract could be potentially used as a replacement for conventional antioxidants added to maintain sperm viability in cryopreserved ram semen. ARTICLE HISTORY

ABSTRACT. Ruminal acidosis in ruminants is a metabolic disorder of gastrointestinal origin that occurs in animals with a high feed intake of cereal grains diets, which affect the performance. According to clinical manifestations it can be classified as: a) acute lactic acidosis with prolonged exposure to ruminal pH ≤ 5.0, triggering a systemic acidosis, with clinical manifestations and changes in biochemical patterns, starting the first twelve hours of ruminal acidosis and it takes 48 to 120 hours to reestablish, b) subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA), it has no clinical manifestations, rumen pH decreases in a range of 5.5 to 5.0 and is held for 111 to 180 minutes in 24 hours, this decrease causes an imbalance in the ruminal metabolism, as well as the fluid balance. Ruminal acidosis can be prevented by adding sodium bicarbonate to the ration, or zootechnic additives such as Saccharomyces cereviseae and Megasphaera elsdenii as well as essential oils (cinnamaldehyde and eugenol). It is also important to consider the forage/concentrate ratio, the forage particle size, the NDF content of the ration, as well as the cereal's rate of degradation in the rumen. The objective of this review was to address the ruminal acidosis pathophysiology, its effects on animal welfare and control strategies to minimise the detrimental impact on animal production.Key words: metabolic disorder, ruminal subacute acidosis. RESUMEN.La acidosis ruminal es un trastorno metabólico de origen digestivo, que se presenta en los rumiantes al ingerir dietas altas en granos de cereales, y que afecta el rendimiento productivo. Según sus manifestaciones clínicas se clasifica en: a) acidosis láctica aguda en la que hay una exposición prolongada a un pH ruminal ≤ 5,0, lo que desencadena una acidosis sistémica con manifestaciones clínicas, así como cambios en los patrones bioquímicos que se inician en las primeras doce horas de la acidosis ruminal y tardan de 48 a 120 horas en restablecerse, y b) acidosis subaguda ruminal (ASR), donde no hay manifestaciones clínicas, el pH del rumen disminuye en un rango de 5,5 a 5,0 y se mantiene durante 111 a 180 minutos en 24 horas, este descenso provoca un desequilibrio tanto en el metabolismo ruminal como en el balance de líquidos. La acidosis ruminal se puede prevenir por la adición de bicarbonato de sodio, aditivos zootécnicos como la Sccharomyces cerevisiae y Megasphaera elsdenii, y aceites esenciales (cinamaldehído y eugenol). Es importante considerar la relación forraje/concentrado así como el tamaño de partícula del forraje, el contenido de FND de la ración, y la degradación del grano de cereal en el rumen. El objetivo de la presente revisión fue abordar la fisiopatología de la acidosis ruminal, los efectos que esta causa en el bienestar animal y las estrategias para su control, para minimizar su impacto detrimental en la producción animal.Palabras claves: trastorno metabólico, acidosis subaguda ruminal.

Solid-state fermentation can be used to produce feeds for ruminants, which can provide an enriched population of yeasts to improve ruminal fermentation. Fermentation of apple bagasse was performed to obtain a yeast-rich product, with the objective of isolating, identifying, and characterizing yeast strains and testing their capability to enhance in vitro ruminal fermentation of fibrous feeds. Yeasts were isolated from apple bagasse fermented under in vitro conditions, using rumen liquor obtained from cannulated cows and alfalfa as a fibrous substrate. A total of 16 new yeast strains were isolated and identified by biochemical and molecular methods. The strains were designated Levazot, followed by the isolate number. Their fermentative capacity was assessed using an in vitro gas production method. Strain Levazot 15 (Candida norvegensis) showed the greatest increase in gas production (p < 0.05) compared with the yeast-free control and positively affected in vitro ruminal fermentation parameters of alfalfa and oat straw. Based on these results, it was concluded that the Levazot 15 yeast strain could be potentially used as an additive for ruminants consuming high-fiber diets. However, further studies of effects of these additives on rumen digestion, metabolism, and productive performance of ruminants are required.

The villi height of the villi is associated with the nutrients’ absorption and greater body weight. The correlation between body weight and villi height or villi area in three sections of the small intestine was investigated. A total of 42 pigs were randomly sampled with an average of 73.61 kg ± 10.72 kg slaughtered weight. Three methodologies were used for sampling in each of the three sections of the small intestine. The height and area of the villi were measured for each section of the intestine. Linear Pearson correlations were calculated. The correlations of the height and area of the villi of the ileum were positive and low (r = 0.168; n = 42; p = 0.05). The duodenum and jejunum correlations were negative and low (r = -0.140; n = 42; p > 0.01). No correlation was found between the body weight and the height or area of the villi, possibly due to other factors that may affect them.