Investigation on the effects of copper deficiency on fertility and some hematobiochemical parameters in rams with trial for treatment

Abstract

Fecal and blood samples were collected from 80 rams (50 suffering from unthriftness, weakness, diarrhea, recumbency of some rams, and 30 healthy ram) from private farms at Abo Hamad city, Sharkia Governorate for parasitological examination and estimation of copper level in blood. After parasitological examination 15 rams were divided into three equal groups. 1 st group healthy rams was free from any parasites with normal copper level (control), 2 nd group rams was suffering from previous signs with low copper level not treated, 3 rd group rams was suffering from previous signs with low copper level treated with 1gm copper sulphate/liter drinking water for one month. At 1 st , 15 th and 30 th day post treatment blood and semen samples were collected from each ram for study hematobiochemical parameters and semen character. Parasitological examination of faecal samples revealed presence of parasites eggs in 11 healthy rams (6 single infection -5 mixed infection) beside presence parasites eggs in 20 hypocuprotic rams (11 single infection -9 mixed infection). Examination of rams with hypocupriosis revealed significant decrease in erythrocytic count, hemoglobin, packed cell volume %, leukocytic count, total protein, albumin, globulin, copper, selenium, zinc, iron, testosterone, triiodothronine, thyroxin, sperm count, sperm motility beside insignificant reduction in ejaculate volume and significant elevation in asprtate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase, urea, creatinine, dead sperm, sperm abnormality. Improvement of hematobiochemical and semen parameters was observed at 1 st day post treatment with copper sulphate. It could be concluded that copper deficiency affects male fertility and hematobiochemical parameters, copper sulphate is effective in ameliorating adverse effect of copper deficiency in rams.