Evaluation of semen quality and fertility in male broiler breedert fed conjugated linoleic acid

Various studies have shown that the use of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) can alter the reproductive process in different animals. Therefore, the aim of this study was to study the effect of conjugated linoleic acid on some qualitative parameters of sperm and fertility in roosters.

Thirty-two roosters with 59 week age, were randomly divided into four group (eight roosters in each group) and transferred to individual cages. All experimental groups were given the same basic diet and different levels of conjugated linoleic acid: treatment 1 (0 gr per day per rooster), treatment 2 (0.2 gr per day per rooster), treatment 3 (4 0.0 gr per day per rooster) and treatment 4 (0.6 gr per day per rooster) were given as capsules. The experiment was continued for 9 week after 2 week of habituation. Sperm quality parameters including: semen volume, total motility, progressive motility, semen concentration, percentage of abnormal sperm, percentage of live sperm,  active membrane sperm and malondialdehyde concentration were evaluated weekly. During two weeks, semen was collected to assess fertility and hatching rates and inoculated into 68 broiler breeder chicken (17 birds in each group).

CLA did not have a significant effect on sperm parameters and body weight (p > 0.05). The effect of test time on all sperm parameters except seminal volume was significant. Also, the interaction effect between treatment and time was significant on sperm concentration, semen total motility, sperm membrane activity and body weight but was not significant on other parameters (p > 0.05). Fertility results show that different levels CLA did not have a significant effect on fertility and hatching.

Our results indicate that different levels of conjugated linoleic acids have no beneficial effects on the quality of fresh sperm in broiler breeder flocks.