Enhancing Sustainable Rabbit Meat Production: A Feed-Based Strategy Using Natural Antioxidants to Improve Breeding Stock Fertility and Genetic Integrity
نویسندگان
1 Collage of Medicine, Physiology Department, University of Tikrit.,
2 Pathological Analysis Department, College of Applied Sciences, University of Samarra, Samarra, Iraq.
3 College of Pharmacy, Al-Turath University, Baghdad, Iraq.
4 Department of Medical Laboratory Techniques , College of Health and Medical Techniques , Al-Bayan University
5 Pathological Analysis Department, College of Applied Sciences, University of Samarra, Samarra, Iraq.
6 college of Dentistry, Al-Zahrawi University, Kerbala, Iraq.
doi
10.48311/fsct.2026.118566.83011چکیده
This study investigated the effects of natural antioxidant supplementation on semen quality parameters and sperm chromatin structure in rabbit bucks under oxidative stress conditions. Forty New Zealand White rabbit bucks (aged 7-9 months, 3.0-3.5 kg) were randomly allocated to four groups (n=10 per group): Control (C), Oxidative Stress (OS), OS + Natural Antioxidants (OS+NA), and Natural Antioxidants alone (NA). The natural antioxidant blend included vitamin E (200 mg/kg), organic selenium (0.3 mg/kg), vitamin C (500 mg/kg), and herbal extracts (150 mg/kg) for 90 days. Parameters assessed included sperm concentration, total and progressive motility, viability, morphological abnormalities, DNA fragmentation index (DFI), acrosome integrity, seminal plasma antioxidants (TAC, SOD, GPx, GSH, vitamins E and C, selenium), oxidative markers (MDA, ROS, 8-OHdG), and liver enzyme activities. Results showed oxidative stress significantly impaired progressive motility (47% reduction, P<0.001), viability (38% decrease, P<0.001), and dramatically increased DNA fragmentation (165% elevation, P<0.001). Natural antioxidants effectively restored progressive motility to 89% of control values (P<0.01), reduced DNA fragmentation by 58% versus OS group (P<0.001), and improved acrosome integrity by 43% (P<0.01). Seminal TAC increased 127% (P<0.001) while MDA decreased 62% (P<0.001) with antioxidant treatment. However, sperm concentration showed non-significant changes (P=0.186), and liver enzymes remained unaffected (P>0.05). Strong negative correlations were observed between seminal ROS and progressive motility (r=-0.81, P<0.001) and between DNA fragmentation and fertility markers (r=-0.76, P<0.001). This study demonstrates natural antioxidants effectively protect sperm DNA integrity and functional parameters through enhanced antioxidant defense, with DNA preservation representing the most dramatic protective effect.
