173 Effects of dietary supplementation of peanut skins on sperm quality and fertility parameters of growing male sheep

The peanut is a pivotal plant cultivated in different parts of the world. It possesses various beneficial nutrients such as fibres, proteins, vitamins, minerals, polyphenols, antioxidants, Co-enzyme Q10, and all 20 amino acids with the highest level of arginine. Arginine helps to strengthen the body’s immune system, regulates hormones and blood sugar, and promotes male fertility. Peanut skins (PS) contain high levels of tannin, giving the skins the richest part of antioxidant components. However, little is known about the effects of PS on semen quality and fertility of males in animals and humans. Our hypothesis is that dietary supplementation of untreated (intact) PS can improve sperm quality and reproductive parameters compared with a diet supplemented with treated PS. Here, we evaluated the effects of dietary supplementation of PS with and without polyphenols on reproductive parameters, and semen quality of Florida Native sheep lambs. 33 Florida Native lambs (33.5 ± 0.1 kg) were placed in individual pens and distributed in three groups with 11 lambs per group and assigned to three dietary treatments; namely, (1) Control diet plus 0% PS (control), (2) Diet containing 20% of intact PS with polyphenols (untreated PS), and (3) Diet containing 20% of treated PS without polyphenols (treated PS). Treatments were incorporated into the concentrate and all animals were fed with Bermuda grass hay. Animals received the experimental diets for 7 days of adaptation and 42 days of the experimental period. At the end of the trial, scrotum circumferences (SC) were measured, and the animals were transported to a processing facility for slaughter. Testicles and epididymides were collected after slaughter for measuring their weights and lengths. Epididymal spermatozoa were recovered and evaluated for their motility, concentration, viability, abnormalities, membrane integrities, and acrosome status (Ghallab et al. 2017 Cryobiology 79, 14–20). Data were analysed by one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s test. Results showed that SC, testicles, epididymal weights and lengths, and sperm concentration were comparable (P > 0.05) among the three groups. Sperm motility, viability, membrane integrities, and the percentage of spermatozoa with intact acrosome were lower (P ≤ 0.05) in treated PS compared with the untreated PS and control groups. Sperm abnormalities were higher (P ≤ 0.05) in the treated PS than in the untreated PS and control groups. These results suggest that feeding male sheep treated PS (without polyphenols) negatively impacts their sperm quality compared to those fed on untreated (intact) PS.

Adel R. Moawad is supported by the United States Department of Agriculture/National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA/NIFA) grant (Evans-Allen grant/1025736).