Effect of Vitamin C and Electrolytes Supplementation on Exotic and Local Poultry Semen Quality Under Thermal Stress in Pakistan.

Poultry exhibit reduced fertility under the warm, stressful environment of tropical regions.Antioxidants may counterbalance stress and improve semen quality. The objective of the presentstudy was to determine the effect of vitamin C and electrolyte supplementation on semen qualityin exotic and local roosters submitted to different semen collection frequencies. The study wasconducted at Peshawar, Pakistan during July, 2011 when ambient temperatures ranged from 38to 44oC. All roosters were reared in floor pens having free access to drinking water. The effectsof vitamin C/electrolytes supplementation (0, 1, and 2 ml/L in drinking water), breed (Cobb-500,Starbro, and local), and semen collection frequency (daily, every other day, and every third day)were determined using 243 roosters in a 3 x 3 x 3 factorial design (n = 9/group). VitaminC/electrolytes supplement consisted of 60 g ascorbic acid, 9.5 g sodium citrate, 3.9 g sodiumchloride, and 1.5 g potassium chloride per liter of solution. The supplement was added to thedrinking water during a pre-experimental (two weeks) and the experimental period (three weeks).Semen was collected using the cloacal rubbing method during the experimental period. Semenvolume and sperm concentration (Hemocytometer), motility (Microscopic observation 40X),viability (Eosin-nigrosin stain), and morphology were evaluated. Overall means from resultsobtained during the experimental period were calculated and used for analysis.There werevitamin C/electrolytes supplementation effects (P < 0.05) on sperm concentration, motility, andviability; all these parameters were greater in roosters receiving 1 mL (4.6± 0.12 x 109sperm/mL, 53.7 ± 1.03 %, and 53.6 ± 1.01%, respectively) or 2 mL of supplementation (4.6 ±0.13 x 109 sperm/mL, 54.9 ± 1.04%, and 55.2 ± 1.02%, respectively) when compared to controlsreceiving no supplementation (4.3 ± 0.11 x109 sperm/mL, 48.6 ± 1.01%, and 46.8± 1.04%,respectively). There were breed effects (P < 0.05) on semen volume