The effect of bovine serum albumin and fetal calf serum on sperm quality, DNA fragmentation and lipid peroxidation of the liquid stored rabbit semen

The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of the bovine serum albumin (BSA) and fetal calf serum (FCS) on sperm quality, DNA fragmentation and lipid peroxidation of liquid stored rabbit semen stored up to 72 h at 5 C. Ejaculates were collected from five New Zealand male rabbits by artificial vagina and pooled at 37 C following evaluation. Each pooled ejaculate was split into three equal experimental groups and diluted to a final concentration of approximately 40 106 sperm/ml (single step dilution), in an Eppendorf tube, with the Tris based extender containing BSA (5 mg/ml), FCS (10%) or no additive (control) at 37 C, cooled to 5 C and stored for up to 72 h. The extender supplemented with BSA and FCS did not improve the percentages of motility and acrosomal abnormality during 48 h compared to the control. The additives BSA and FCS had a significant effect in the maintaining of plasma membrane integrity between 48 and 72 h storage period, compared to the control (P < 0.01). The supplementation of BSA and FCS had a protective effect on motility (P < 0.05), plasma membrane integrity (P < 0.01) and acrosomal integrity (P < 0.01) at 72 h compared to the control. The supplementations with BSA and FCS led to a reduction in DNA damage of rabbit sperm at 48 and 72 h during storage period, compared to the control (P < 0.001). Although supplementation of BSA and FCS caused significant (P < 0.01) decreases in malondialdehyde (MDA) level at 48 h and 72 h, they significantly (P < 0.01) increased the glutathione peroxidase (GPx) antioxidant activity up to 72 h when compared to the control group. In conclusion, BSA and FCS supplementation to liquid stored rabbit semen provide a protection for spermatozoa against cool storage-induced DNA damage and plasma membrane integrity by their antioxidative properties

In vitro effects of L-carnitine and glutamine on motility, acrosomal abnormality, plasma membrane integrity and DNA damage of rabbit sperm during liquid-storage

This study was designed to evaluate the in vitro effects of L-carnitine and glutamine (Gln) on the sperm quality parameters of liquid-stored rabbit semen maintained up to 24 h at 5 C. Pooled and extended ejaculates were divided into two equal portions. L-Carnitine doses of 0.5, 1 and 2 mM were added to the first portion, and glutamine was added at the same doses to the second portion. All samples were cooled to 5 C and examined at 0, 6, 12 and 24 h of liquid storage. Supplementation of the semen extender with three different doses of L-carnitine provided significant increases in the percentage of motile sperm at 12 h (P < 0.01), and 24 h (P < 0.001) and enabled significant protection of the sperm plasma membrane (P < 0.01) at 12 and 24 h of cool-storage, in comparison to the control samples. Only the 2 mM dose of L-carnitine significantly (P < 0.01) decreased the rate of acrosomal damage when compared to the control group. Furthermore, all doses of Gln caused a significant (P < 0.01) decrease in acrosomal damage at 6 h, and provided significant improvement (P < 0.01) in sperm motility, acrosomal and plasma membrane integrities at 12 and 24 h of liquid storage, when compared to the controls. In conclusion, the supplementation of liquid-stored rabbit semen with L-carnitine and Gln provided a protection for sperm against cool storage-induced functional and structural damages

Comparison of different molting methods and evaluation of the effects of postmolt diets supplemented with humate and carnitine on performance, egg quality, and profitability of laying hens

The aim of this study was to compare the applicability of the non-feed removal method with the feed withdrawal method by using alfalfa meal and barley in molting. Moreover, the effects of humate (2 g/kg), carnitine (0.1 g/kg) and humate (2 g/kg) + carnitine (0.1 g/kg) supplementation to the diets during postmolt period along with the different molting methods on production performance, egg quality, and profitability in laying hens were compared. In the study, 192 Bovans white laying hens, 75 wk old, were used. The lowest BW loss (21.08%) for the first 10 d was found in the barley + feed (B+F) method. The earliest onset of egg production was observed in B+ F method which is followed by alfalfa meal + feed (A+F) and feed withdrawal + barley + feed (FW+B+F) groups. In the postmolt period, heavier eggs were obtained from the B+F and A+F method groups. Egg specific gravity was found to be higher in the groups molted by the A+F and B+F methods. Feed efficiency, egg shell thickness, and Haugh unit were unchanged in the A+F and B+ F methods compared with the FW+B+F method. In the postmolt period, supplementation of humate to diet increased the egg weight; supplementation of carnitine increased the egg shell thickness and Haugh unit. Consequently, the use of molting methods without fasting (A+F and B+F) could be an alternative to conventional molting methods without causing any economic losses