Supplementation effect of dietary flaxseed and coconut oil on antioxidant enzyme activities, LPO seminal plasma protein profiling in adult ram

Energy based diet supplementation is responsible for body growth and plays a significant role to improve spermatogenesis, semen quality, fertility and influence livestock production. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of dietary flaxseed and coconut oil supplementation on semen profile, hormone level, testicular biometry, antioxidant enzyme activity and seminal plasma protein in adult rams. A total number of nine rams (Bannur crossbred rams, aged 20-23 months) were divided into three groups and each group consisted of three rams. The sheep of the control were fed a diet consisting of concentrate mixture and ragi straw in a ratio of 50:50, respectively as per ICAR 2013 standard. The sheep of the coconut oil supplemented group were fed the same basal diet as that of the control group; additionally they were supplemented with coconut oil @ 5 g/100 g concentrate mixture. The sheep of flaxseed oil supplemented group were fed the same basal diet as that of the control group, additionally they were supplemented with flaxseed oil @ 5 g/100 g concentrate mixture. A total of 45 semen samples (5 collections from each ram), were collected through electro-ejaculator method (twice in a week and in 3 days interval). The volume, initial motility, mass motility, live and dead percentage, concentration, acrosome intactness and functional membrane integrity were assessed in fresh semen. Sperm velocity and motility parameters were assessed using CASA. Antioxidant enzyme activities, LPO and seminal plasma protein profiling were estimated in seminal plasma. The results indicated that rams fed with oils (treatment groups) produced semen with higher volume, sperm concentrations, with improved membrane and acrosome integrities. The antioxidant enzyme activities were increased and the oxidative stress reduced as indicated by lowered MDA level in the treatment groups. However, the motility and velocity of spermatozoa did not improve although testosterone increased. Testicular biometric measurements did not differ between control and treatment groups. Marked changes were observed in the seminal plasma protein profile due to feeding of oils. The MALDI-TOF/TOF analysis revealed that the differentially expressed protein spots in the coconut oil group were Interleukin-2, Endothelin-1, Secreted phosphoprotein 24, Caveoilin-I, Interferon gamma and in flaxseed oil group were SRY protein. This study indicated that supplementation of flaxseed and coconut oil at 5% level to the rams improved the protective role against oxidative stress and induced over expression of certain seminal plasma proteins depending upon the oil fed.