ORIGINAL PAPER
The effect of nutritional stress on sperm motion characteristics and sexual behaviour of rams in a semi-arid tropical environment
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K. De 1
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Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute (CSWRI), Division of Animal Physiology and Biochemistry, Avikanagar-304501, Rajasthan, India
 
 
Publication date: 2015-06-14
 
 
Corresponding author
K. De   

Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute (CSWRI), Division of Animal Physiology and Biochemistry, Avikanagar-304501, Rajasthan, India
 
 
J. Anim. Feed Sci. 2015;24(2):107-112
 
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
A major problem in sheep rearing is scarcity of feed during the summer and winter in semi-arid tropics. A study was conducted to assess the sperm motion characteristics and sexual behaviour of Garole x Malpura x Malpura (GMM) rams subjected to nutritional stress. Eighteen adult GMM rams were randomly allocated into three groups of six animals each: G1 (control; fed maintenance requirement), G2 (fed 20% less than maintenance) and G3 (fed 30% less than maintenance). The animals were stall-fed with a diet consisting of 70% roughage and 30% concentrate. The study was conducted for eight weeks during the spring. Semen collection was done weekly at 08:00. Semen was evaluated by a computer-assisted sperm analysis technique. Sexual behaviours were also recorded at the time of semen collections. The proportion of rapid, medium and slow motile sperm, and average path velocity varied significantly (P < 0.05) among the groups. The time for seeking females significantly (P < 0.05) decreased in G3, while the refractory period significantly (P < 0.05) increased in G2. The testosterone concentration was significantly (P < 0.05) lower in G2 and G3 as compared with G1. The results indicate that GMM rams compromised their reproductive performance under nutritional stress imposed by 30% feed restriction of their maintenance diet during a feed scarcity period.
 
CITATIONS (10):
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Sheep Production Adapting to Climate Change
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Advances in Sheep Welfare
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Comparative physiological responses of stress in sheep selected for resistance or susceptibility toHaemonchus contortusin semi-arid tropical region during different seasons
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4.
Effect of thermal exposure on physiological adaptability and seminal attributes of rams under semi-arid environment
Kalyan De, Davendra Kumar, Krishnappa Balaganur, Vijay Kumar Saxena, Palanisamy Thirumurugan, Syed Mohammed Khursheed Naqvi
Journal of Thermal Biology
 
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Effect of increasing levels of wasted date palm in concentrate diet on reproductive performance of Ouled Djellal breeding rams during flushing period
A. Allaoui, B. Safsaf, M. Tlidjane, I. Djaalab, H. Djaalab Mansour
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Combined effect of heat and nutritional stress on superovulation of Malpura ewes in a semi-arid region
Davendra Kumar, Kalyan De, Indu Shekhawat, Saumya Bahadur, Krishnappa Balaganur, S.M.K. Naqvi
Journal of Thermal Biology
 
7.
Effect of wind protection during winter on growing lambs in semi-arid tropical region
Kalyan De, Shivendra Sharma, Pankaj Kumawat, Davendra Kumar, Palanisamy Thirumurugan, Artabandhu Sahoo
Small Ruminant Research
 
8.
Effect of nutritional stress on physiological parameters and seminal attributes of native-crossbred ram in semi-arid tropics
Kalyan De, Davendra Kumar, Vijay Saxena, Balaganur Krishnappa, S. Bahire, Rajani Paul, Arpita Mohapatra, G. Vedamurthy, S. Naqvi
Tropical Animal Health and Production
 
9.
Semen characteristics and testosterone profiles of Yankasa rams fed graded levels of dietary protein using cotton seed and palm kernel cakes
Taiwo Bello, Peter Rekwot, Joseph Ayo, Balkisu Oyelowo, Armiyau Khumran, Raheelah Hassan, Brenda Oke, Sheriff Yusuf
Agricultura Tropica et Subtropica
 
10.
Effect of adding Spirulina platensis algae to small ruminant rations on productive, reproductive traits and some blood components
Mohamed El-Deeb, Megahed Abdel-Gawad, Mohamed Abdel-Hafez, Fatma Saba, Eid Ibrahim
Acta Scientiarum. Animal Sciences
 
ISSN:1230-1388
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