Fruits with antioxidant enrichment can be an economically affordable supplement
for mitigating oxidative damage prone spermatozoa membrane pathologies.
Computer-assisted sperm analyzer and oxidative status were utilized to evaluate
the impact of watermelon (
Citrullus lanatus
) fortification of
dextrose saline as diluent for rooster semen and fertility response of hens
inseminated. Watermelon juice and dextrose saline were used to formulate diluent
of 7 treatments consisting of unextended semen (positive control), 10%, 20%,
30%, 40%, 50% and only dextrose saline (negative control) designated as
Treatments 1–7. Pooled semen was obtained from fertile roosters and
equilibrated with diluents at ratio 1:2 in the various treatments and were
evaluated using computer software coupled microscope and seminal oxidative
status assay. 168 laying hens randomly divided into 7 treatment of 8 replicates
and 3 hen per replicate. Hen were everted, and semen (2 × 10
8
Spermatozoa) deposited intra-vagina and eggs collected over 8 weeks to assess
fertility and hatchability of eggs laid. The result obtained revealed that
watermelon-dextrose saline rooster semen diluent enhanced progressive motility,
sperm kinetics and lowered non-progressive motility in T2–T6 compared to
T7 over the 3 hours of evaluation. Watermelon addition to rooster semen diluent
enhance the antioxidant capacity of rooster semen and lowered lipid peroxide
generation. The percentage fertility was highest in T3 (81.01%) and T4 (81.24%)
with lowest value obtained in T7 (73.46%). The hatchability of eggs set of hens
inseminated with undiluted semen (71.46%) was lower than values for hens
inseminated with watermelon inclusive extended semen (75.71%–80.39%). The
optimal inclusion of 30%–40% watermelon in dextrose saline diluent
enhance rooster semen kinetics, seminal oxidative stability and egg
fertility.
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