Caiphus Hlungwani¹, Francois K. Siebrits¹, Tshimangadzo L. Nedambale^1,2

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¹ Tshwane University of Technology, Faculty of Science, Department of Animal Sciences, Pretoria, Republic of South Africa.
² Agricultural Research Council, Animal Production Institute, Germplasm Conservation and Reproductive Biotechnologies, Irene, Republic of South Africa.
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Abstract: This study was conducted to determine the effects of increasing dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and antioxidants (Se and vitamin E) on spermatozoa morphology. At 24 weeks of age, Potchefstroom Koekoek cockerels (n = 60) were selected from the base population. Cockerels were randomly allocated into five dietary treatments with 12 cockerels per dietary treatment. The diets consisted of commercial layer diet (CL), commercial cockerel diet (CC), modified layer diet (ML), modified layer diet +PUFA (MLP), and modified layer +PUFA+ antioxidants (MLPA) diet. At 36 weeks of age, six cockerels with ≥ 75% sperm motility rate following analysis by Computer Aided Sperm Analysis (CASA) were selected from the base population in each dietary treatment group. Semen volume, sperm cells concentration and dead cells did not differ significantly among any of the groups. However, live and normal spermatozoa were significantly higher in the MLPA group. The bent mid-piece, bent mid-piece plus droplets, proximal droplets and distal droplets were significantly lower in the MLPA group. From this study it can be concluded that supplementation of polyunsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants may be of vital importance for normal morphology characteristics of spermatozoa in Potchefstroom Koekoek cockerels.

Keywords: Selenium, Chicken, CASA, Vitamin E

Cite this paper: Hlungwani, C. , Siebrits, F. and Nedambale, T. (2015) Effects of Inclusion of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Antioxidants on Spermatozoa Morphology of Potchefstroom Koekoek Cockerels. Open Journal of Animal Sciences, 5, 157-162. doi: 10.4236/ojas.2015.52018.

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