| This experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation of vitamin C(VC), vitamin E(VE) and their combination on sperm quality, serum reproductive hormone, seminal plasma, testis and serum antioxidant abilities and immunity of Lueyang Black-boned Chicken breeder cocks in summer. Sixty-four Lueyang black-boned cocks(33 weeks of age) with similar body weight were randomly assigned to 4 treatment groups for a period of 5 weeks. Each treatment comprised of 4 replicates each containing 4 birds. Group Ⅰ was control group, fed with basic diets. Group Ⅱ, Ⅲand Ⅳwere treatment groups, fed with basic diets supplemented with 300 mg/Kg VC, 200 mg/Kg VE or their combination, respectively. The results are as follows:1. The effect on feed intake and body weight gain.The dietary supplementation of VC and VE for the Lueyang Black-boned Chicken breeder cocks(33~38 weeks of age) could significantly increase body weight(P<0.05) compared with the control group in summer. While the feed intake of the birds in the different treatment groups showed no significant differences(P>0.05).2. The effect on reproductive performance.(1) The effects on reproductive organs.The diets added with vitamin did not affect(P > 0.05) on weights of the testis, cockscomb and indexes of testis and cockscomb.(2) The effect on semen quality.Vitamin supplementation in diets significantly(P<0.05) increased ejaculate volume, sperm concentration, sperm motility rate and number of effective sperm, and significantly decreased the rate of sperm deformity or abnormal sperm compared with the control group.(3) The effect on reproductive hormone concentrations in plasma.Treatment with vitamin C, vitamin E and their combination significantly(P<0.05) increased the concentrations of testosterone(T) in plasma,and increased the concentration of luteinizing hormone(LH) and follicle stimulating hormone(FSH) in plasma, but the difference(P>0.05) were not significant compared with the control group.(4) The effect on testicular and seminal plasma antioxidant abilities.Treatment with vitamin C, vitamin E and their combination significantly(P<0.05) increased the concentrations of vitamin E in testis,and increased the concentration of vitamin C in testis, but the difference(P>0.05) were not significant; The activities of glutathione peroxidase(GSP-Px), superoxide dismutase(SOD) were significantly(P<0.05) increased in seminal plasma. The activities of glutathione peroxidase(GSP-Px), superoxide dismutase(SOD) were significantly(P<0.05) increased in testis, and increased the activities of superoxide dismutase(SOD) in testis, but the difference(P>0.05) were not significant compared with the control group. Whereas concentrations of malondialdehyde(MDA) showed a significant(P<0.05) decrease in testis of test cockerels compared with controls.3. The effect on serum antioxidant abilities.Vitamins supplementation in diets significantly increased(P<0.05) the activities of glutathione peroxidase(GSP-Px) and superoxide dismutase(SOD) in serum,while the concentrations of malondialdehyde(MDA) showed a significant(P<0.05) decrease in serum of test cockerels compared with controls.4. The effect on immunity.During summer hot temperature, dietary supplementation of vitamin C, vitamin E or their combination significantly(P<0.05) increased the contents of Ig G and IL-10 in serum, and significantly decreased the contents of IL-6 in serum(P<0.05), however, the contents of Ig A in serum of the birds in different groups showed no significant differences(P>0.05). Vitamins supplementation in diets significantly increased(P<0.05) the antibody levels of Newcastle virus compared with the control group.Conclusion: During summer high temperature season, dietary supplementation of vitamin C, vitamin E or their combination could effectively alleviate the heat stress response induced by high ambient temperature of Lueyang black-boned chicken breeder cocks, and improve testicular and seminal plasma antioxidant abilities, and promote the secretion of reproductive hormone and spermatogenesis, which could significantly improve the semen quality, antioxidant abilities and immunity during heat stress condition. |
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