Seminal quality of rams feed with diets containing contaminated alfalfa (medicago sativa) with pseudopeziza medicaginis

Abstract

Alfalfa is one of the basic legumes in feeding systems for sheep, however, one of the recurrent diseases in this crop is smallpox (Pseudopeziza medicaginis), where there is an increase in the levels of phytoestrogens as a defense mechanism. The objective of this investigation was to evaluate the seminal quality in sheep fed diets containing alfalfa contaminated with three levels of Pseudopezisa medicaginis T1: 10%, T2: 40%, and T3: 70%. A randomized complete block design was used. Volume (VOL), mortality (MOR), concentration (CONC), morphology (MRF), mass mobility (MMSL), and individual (MIDL) were evaluated. VOL and MOR showed no differences (P=0.4856 and P = 0.5952 respectively) between treatments. The CONC (P=0.0117) showed difference, in T1 (4.63 Sp x 109) with respect to T2 and T3. The MRF showed differences (P=0.0016) between treatments. In MMSL, differences were observed (P=0.0001) between treatments, with a maximum value for T1 (4.43). Finally, the MIDL in T1 and T2 was higher (P=0.0007) than T3. It is concluded that the intake of diets that include contaminated alfalfa (70%) with Pseudopeziza medicaginis has harmful effects on sperm morphology and consequently can be harmful on the reproductive indexes