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de Mello Pedrosa SMB, de Lima Pontes Venâncio AK, Lopes LA, da Silva TGP, de Carvalho FFR, da Silva Júnior VA. Supplementation of feedlot lambs with cactus cladodes as strategy to improve testicular function. Trop Anim Health Prod 2023; 55:202. [PMID: 37191908 DOI: 10.1007/s11250-023-03618-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of diets containing cactus cladodes genotypes on plasma testosterone levels, testicular histopathological and histomorphometric parameters, and oxidative stress markers in lambs. Thirty-six male, intact Santa Inês lambs (22.0 ± 2.9 kg initial body weight), were to feedlot for 86 days. A completely randomized design was used with three dietary treatments (control diet with Tifton-85 hay as the only roughage; and two more diets with Miúda or OEM cactus cladodes partially replacing hay) and twelve replicates. There was no influence of the diets on the testicular weight (P = 0.414) and gonadosomatic index (P = 0.384) of lambs. The testosterone serum concentrations were almost twice as higher in lambs fed Miúda cactus cladodes compared to control treatment. There was greater incidence and severity of lesions in the testicular parenchyma of animals that received control diet: loosening of germ cell epithelium, germ cell desquamation and vacuolization of Sertoli cells. The seminiferous tubule diameter and height of the seminiferous epithelium were higher in lambs fed OEM cactus cladodes (P = 0.003). The tubular volume and Leydig cells volume were higher in animals fed with cactus cladodes (P < 0.05). The levels of malondialdehyde were higher in the lambs of control group compared to OEM group (P = 0.039) and the testicular concentration of nitric oxide was higher in control group (P = 0.009). The diet containing OEM cactus cladodes increased the levels of superoxide dismutase. Our results indicate that diets containing cactus cladodes promote antioxidant protection to the testicular parenchyma and preserve the spermatogenic process of lambs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Monte Bandeira de Mello Pedrosa
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Dom Manuel de Medeiros Street, s/n, Dois Irmãos, Recife, PE, 52171-900, Brazil
| | - Anna Kelly de Lima Pontes Venâncio
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Dom Manuel de Medeiros Street, s/n, Dois Irmãos, Recife, PE, 52171-900, Brazil
| | - Levi Auto Lopes
- Department of Animal Science, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Dom Manuel de Medeiros Street, s/n, Dois Irmãos, Recife, PE, 52171-900, Brazil
| | - Tomás Guilherme Pereira da Silva
- Department of Animal Science, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Dom Manuel de Medeiros Street, s/n, Dois Irmãos, Recife, PE, 52171-900, Brazil.
| | - Francisco Fernando Ramos de Carvalho
- Department of Animal Science, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Dom Manuel de Medeiros Street, s/n, Dois Irmãos, Recife, PE, 52171-900, Brazil
| | - Valdemiro Amaro da Silva Júnior
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Dom Manuel de Medeiros Street, s/n, Dois Irmãos, Recife, PE, 52171-900, Brazil
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