Análise da influência da alimentação de ovinos com tifton 85, palma orelha de elefante mexicana e palma miúda sobre a função testicular

Abstract

The last decades have been marked by different feeding attempts for sheep herds considering the need for supplemental roughage production and rational use of feed. Nutrition is known to be related to testicular size and function. The relationship between feeding and its consequences on reproductive function in sheep is not yet fully elucidated. Thus, the influence of the Tifton-85 Hay diet associated with Forage Palm Babies and the Tifton-85 hay associated with Mexican Elephant Ear Forage Palm (OEM) compared with Tifton-85 Hay alone was evaluated. The research was carried out in the Caprinovinocultura sector of the Federal Rural University of Pernambuco (UFRPE). The animals were purchased from a commercial farm in Flores, Pernambuco. Forty crossbred male sheep, four months old and with initial average weight of approximately 23.0 ± 2.0 kg were used. The animals were divided into three groups: tifton-85-fed control group, tifton-fed experimental group -85 and Palm Babe and the group fed on tifton-85 and Mexican Elephant Ear palm. The experiment was conducted in randomized blocks with an experimental period of 75 days, with the first 15 days to adapt the animals to the facilities. Diets were provided on individual mattresses twice a day for 60 days. Morphometric, morphological and histopathological analysis of the testis-epididymis complex (CTE) was performed. Serum testosterone dosage was performed by electrochemiluminescence. Oxidative stress was performed where catalase (CAT), superoxide diismutase (SOD), glutathione, malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (ON) were analyzed. Animal body weight did not differ significantly between experimental groups. The testicular weight of sheep fed with small palm and Mexican elephant ear was significantly higher (P=0.002) compared to those fed with Tifton-85 hay. The diameter of the seminiferous tubule was larger (P=0.003) in the animals fed with Mexican elephant ear palm compared to the other experimental groups. Similarly, the height of the seminiferous epithelium was higher in the OEM-fed group when compared to the tifton-85 hay-treated group. Testosterone levels were higher in the palm fed animals compared to the other experimental groups. Serum catalase levels were not statistically significant between experimental groups. Plasma glutathione reduced concentration also had no significant effect when compared between groups. MDA levels were significantly higher (p=0.039) between the control group and those treated with the other forage palm feeding. Regarding serum nitric oxide concentration, the control group had an increase in this parameter (p=0.009) in relation to the other experimental groups. Superoxide dismutase levels were significantly higher (p=0.006) in the group treated with the Mexican elephant ear palm when compared to the other experimental groups. From the data obtained with the present study, it can be concluded that the diet with forage palm promoted a protection of the testicular parenchyma with preservation of the testis architecture. It was observed that the animals fed with forage palm presented reduction of oxidative stress thus ensuring the improvement of reproductive function.