Effect of Vitamins C and E on Some Sperm Characteristics in Varamini Rooster in Cold Conditon

A total of 36 breeder roosters were divided to 4 dietary treatments which were consisting of 3 pens with 3 birds per pen. Treatments were as follow: 1) Control diet without vitamins C and vitamin E, 2) C-diet containing 1000 mg/kg vitamin C, 3) E-diet containing 1000 mg/kg vitamin E and 4) E+C diet containing vitamins C and E (1000mg/kg of each vitamin). Diets were fed to the roosters for a 28 d experimental period. Sperm collection was done by rubbing the belly method, and semen was diluted by of solution tris buffer and kept at 5°C temperature. Evaluated parameters were as follow: semen volume, sperm concentration, sperm motility, progressive sperm, live sperm, at 0, 6, 12, 24, 48, hours after sperm collection. Data analyzed by CRD and mean compared with Duncan multiple range test at the 5% level (P<0.05). Results indicated that Vitamin E resulted in  increasing of semen volume and concentration, motility, live sperm, progressive sperm, at all evaluated times. Results of vitamin E+C diet were similar to vitamin E diets but despite of vitamin E this diet (C+E) is same as vitamin C diets, too. It seems that, in this study, dietary vitamin E can improve Varaminian rooster sperm characteristic rather than the other experimental groups in dirds. Therefore addition of vitamin E in the rooster diets in order to improve sperm characteristics, can be recommended.