An improvement in productive and reproductive performance of aged broiler breeder hens by dietary supplementation of organic selenium.

This study was conducted to determine the optimum level of home-made selenium-enriched yeast (SeY) in the diet of broiler breeder hens and to compare the effects of this product with sodium selenite (SS) or Selemax (SM) on their productive and reproductive performance. A total of 150 broiler breeder hens were divided to six groups and hens in each group were received a basal diet containing no selenium (CG), 0.15, 0.30, 0.45 mg SeY/kg diet (SeY-0.15, SeY-0.30 and SeY-0.45, respectively), 0.30 mg SM/kg diet or 0.30 mg SS/kg diet for 15 successive weeks. The results showed that egg weight and production and hatchability rate were higher in SeY-0.45 compared to other groups (P < 0.05). Also, SeY-0.45 group led to lower embryonic mortality rate compared to CG and SS groups. Fertility rate and chick quality parameters were not affected by selenium supplementation during this period (P > 0.05). In conclusion, the dietary supplementation of home-made selenium, as an organic selenium source, can be used to improve the productive and reproductive performance in aged broiler breeder hens at 0.45 mg/kg feed.

Attenuation of cryopreservation-induced oxidative stress by antioxidant: Impact of Coenzyme Q10 on the quality of post-thawed buck spermatozoa.

The aim of this study was to determine the quality of post-thawed buck spermatozoa by attenuation of cryopreservation-induced oxidative stress using CoQ10, a lipophilic antioxidant. Ejaculates at every sampling period were collected from four Mahabadi bucks, pooled and diluted in soybean lecithin-based extenders containing 0 (negative control, NC), 0.5 (CQ0.05), 1 (CQ1), and 1.5 (CQ1.5) µM CoQ10 and 0.9% (v/v) DMSO (positive control, PC). The diluted semen was gradually cooled to 4 °C, then frozen and stored in liquid nitrogen. After thawing, total motility although was significantly higher in CQ1 (53.40 ±â€¯1.83) than control groups (43.60 ±â€¯1.83% and 42.20 ±â€¯1.83%; P < 0.05), but this parameter did not differ between CQ1 and CQ1.5. Sperm viability was significantly higher in CQ1 (54.20 ±â€¯2.03%) than that of control and CQ0.5. The CQ1 and CQ1.5 led to significantly higher the plasma membrane functionality compared to control groups. Sperm abnormality was significantly lower in CQ1 than that of NC. The results also showed that MDA level was significantly lower in CQ1 and CQ1.5 compared with control and CQ0.5. The CQ1 (59.43 ±â€¯3.93%) was significantly increased mitochondrial activity compared to control groups. Although a greater value for %DFI was found in NC (10.24 ±â€¯0.48%) and PC (9.77 ±â€¯0.48%) groups compared to others, it was lower in CQ1 group (4.26 ±â€¯0.48%). In conclusion, based on our research results, 1 µM CoQ10 could protect buck spermatozoa from cryoinjury.