Publisher: Institute for Animal Husbandry, Belgrade-Zemun UDC 636.087.7 EFFECT OF THE Spirulina platensis INCLUDED IN THE MAIN DIET ON THE BOAR SPERM QUALITY

Abstract

Abstract: Microalgae Spirulina platensis accumulates many chemical components which are suitable for all higher organisms as food and forage raw material. There are a lot of vitally important for the organisms minerals and macroelements such as iron, calcium, sodium, potassium, copper, magnesium, phosphorus, selenium, vitamins, carotin, nucleic acids, enzymes and other active substances. That should explain the value of Spirulina as a feed additive for the agricultural animals. In the present work the influence of the microalgae Spirulina platensis on the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of boars ' sperm was studied. The experiment was carried out with 6 boars from Danube white breed in the experimental animal base of the Agricultural Institute- Shumen. The time of the experiment was divided in the control and experimental periods. During the control period the animals received the main diet in accordance with Bulgarian state standard BDS- 1642-96. In the experimental period to the main diet was added 7 ml / per head the fresh biomass of microalgae preserved by melasa (final quantity- 1,4 mg Spirulina platensis). The obtained results shown that the addition of Spirulina improves the sperm parameters in boars: the volume of the ejaculates increased with 30 ml in experimental period (306 ml against 276 in control, P<0,05) as well as the spermatozoa concentration enhanced with 27 mln/ml. The total dehydrogenases activities estimated by reaction with methylene blue as well as LDH activity were higher in the experimental period. Also the survivability of the spermatozoids at 24, 48 and 72 hour in the experimental period was more than in control