Effect of supplementation of feed with Flaxseed (Linumusitatisimum) oil on libido and semen quality of Nilli-Ravi buffalo bulls

This study was planned to examine the effect of supplementation of feed with flaxseed
oil on libido and quality parameters of Nilli- Ravi buffalo bull’s semen. Poly unsaturated
fatty acids are mainly present in mammalian sperm which are not synthesized in body
so they should be supplemented 31].

In the present study, libido in treated bulls was increased from 9 to 12 weeks of
treatment. These values are in line with Estienne et al., 11] reported in boars. This increment in the libido may be due to production of higher
amount of testosterone hormone. As testosterone is a steroid hormone and synthesized
by cholesterol. Flaxseed oil having polyunsaturated fatty acids such as olic acids
and linolinic acids which are major source of cholesterol 22]. In ram testosterone level increases in short day, but by supplementation of flaxseed
oil same concentration is obtained in summer months (Baiomy and Mottelib, 20e409).

The volume of semen volume was increased in from 9 to 12 months of treatment as compared
to control animals. Similarly, increase in semen volume was observed in goats 9], rams 5] and quails 4], Rooke et al., 26]. In contrary to present study Gliozzi et al., 14], Adeel et al., 1], Gholami et al., 13] reported non-significant increase in semen volume in chicken, rabbit, buffalo bulls
and Holstein bulls respectively. Flaxseed contains high value of omega-3 and omega-6
fatty acids which acts as antioxidant.

In present study overall mean values of mass activity were higher due to flax seed.
Jafaroghli et al., 18] reported that supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids lead to significantly increase
in mass activity of human semen. Improvement in mass activity of semen may be due
to higher concentration and viablity sperm.

The importance of sperm motility has achieved a central role in the routine diagnosis
of male fertility 3]. Motility percentage was significantly higher (p?0.01) in treatment groups as compared to control group during 8–12 weeks of trial.
Similar kind of results are reported in human 8], pigs 26], rams 5], goat 9], 28], rats 32] and boars 20]. Contrary to this study Adeel et al., 1] reported no improvement in motility of semen of buffalo bulls. Increased in motility
percentage of semen may be due to fatty acids composition of sperm tail as reported
by Mourvaki et al., 21] that flaxseed seed supplementation increased poly unsaturated fatty acids in rabbit
sperm. This study showed that tail is major portion which is affected by supplementation
of flaxseed supplementation. It can be assumed that poly unsaturated fatty acids present
in flaxseed oil are involved in flagellar movement of sperm which in turn increases
the motility percentage. The overall mean values of sperm concentration of treated
groups were higher as compared to control. These results were similar in Stallion
29], goat 9], boars 11], 12], rams (Baiomy and Mottelib 5]) and men 12]. This increment in the sperm concentration in present study may be due to rapid spermatogenesis
and antiapoptosis properties of supplementation of omega -3 fatty acids in feed. Supplementation
of poly unsaturated fatty acids has positive effect on biosynthesis of prostaglandin
and steroidogenesis. Poly unsaturated fatty acids have ability to affect the hypothalamic—pituitary
axis and hormonal control of spermatogenesis.

The viability of sperm is considered as the useful parameters to differentiate between
fertility and infertility conditions of males 15]. In the present study, lives sperm percentage was increased from 8 to 12 weeks of
treatment. These findings are in close harmony as described by Rooke et al., 26], Dolatpanah et al., 9], Baiomy and Mottelib, 5], Mourvaki et al., 21],Gholami et al., 13], Al-Daraji et al., 4] and Esmaeili et al., 10]. The more number of live spermatozoa in ejaculates may be due to inhibition of apoptosis
by action of poly unsaturated fatty acids as seen in culture off retinal photoreceptor
and neuron 23].

The intact functional membrane of sperm is considered as the prerequisite for the
sperm fertilizing ability due to successful acrosome reaction and binding to egg surface
7]. The functional integrity of sperm increased from 9 to 12 weeks of treatment in treated
animals as compared to control. Similar to this study, comparable results were present
in rabbit buck 21], buffalo bull 1], and in Holstein bulls Gholami et al., 13]. Increase in HOST positive spermatozoa was may be due to effect of poly unsaturated
fatty acid on integrity of membrane 1].