Effects of Dietary Selenomethionine Supplementation on Semen Quality, Fertility and Antioxidant Status of Cockerels

Abstract

he aim of this study was to determine the effect of different levels of Selenomethionine (Sel-Plex) (0.0, 0.15, 0.30 and 0.45 mg/kg diet) on semen quality, fertility and hatchability of local strain (Inshas) cockerels. Thirty six mature cockerels at 28 weeks of age were divided into four group {(G1 (0.0), G2 (0.15), G3 (0.30) and G4 (0.45)} mg/kg diet (9 cockerels each). All birds were reared under similar management and housing-condition throughout the experimental period. Results revealed that, the final live body weight (LBW) and change of body weight of cocks in group 4 (G4) was significantly higher (P<0.05) than cockerels in group G1 and G2, but did not differ significantly with group G3 or between group G1 and group G2. Daily feed intake did not affected significantly by treatments. Testosterone concentration of cockerels in group 3 (G3) was significantly (P<0.05) higher than in other groups, while the fertility rate of cockerels in G4 was significantly (P<0.05) higher than in other groups. However no significant differences between group G3 and G4 in hatchability rate. Percentages of progressive motility and livability of cockerel spermatozoa were significantly (P<0.05) higher in groups G3 and G4 as compared as in groups G1 and G2, but the opposite trend in percentages of abnormality and acrosome damage of spermatozoa. Total antioxidant capacity (TAOC) in serum of cockerel's in group 3 (G3) was significantly higher (P<0.05) than in control G1, but no significant differences among selenium treatments, while SOD activity in serum of cockerel's was not influenced significantly by supplemented different levels of selenium. Activity Enzymes AST and ALT were significantly higher in G1 than in G3, while no significant differ among G2, G3 and G4. In conclusion, use of organic selenium supplementation (0.3 or 0.45 mg/Kg) in diet of cockerels could be recommended to improve semen quality, fertility, hatchability and oxidative status of roosters.

Effect of Protected Methionine Supplementation on Body Weight, Testicular Parameters, Semen Characteristics and Testosterone Hormone of Awassi Ram Lambs

“…Testosterone hormone concentration illustrated in table (3) increased significantly (p≤ 0.05) in treatment group than control group in the second and third month of experiment. This result in agreement with Shamiah et al (2017) who illustrated that supplementation of diet with (0.30 mg/ kg diet) selenomethionine increased significantly testosterone concentration of Cockerels, but in contrast with Zhai et al (2016) who did not found significant effect of supplementation of diet with methionine on testosterone concentration of male broilers. This increase in concentration of testosterone revealed to that dietary supplementation with methionine improved growth and live body weight (LBW) and testosterone hormone was positively correlated with BW and the increase in growth and LBW may led to an increase in Testosterone concentration (Zhai et al, 2016;Ashton et al, 1995).…”