Dietary supplementing South African indigenous rams with flaxseed oil and ascorbic acid improves cryopreserved semen quality and in vitro fertility.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate how ascorbic acid with dietary flaxseed oil affects the quality and fertility of cryopreserved ram sperm in South African indigenous rams. Treatment diets were supplemented 60 days before semen collection to afford proper spermatogenesis, adaptation to the feed formulated and fed throughout the study. Semen was collected with the use of artificial vagina following dietary supplementation with five treatment diets (neg.

A systematic review on the prospects of X- and Y-sexed semen in ruminant livestock: implications for conservation, a South African perspective.

South Africa is home to numerous indigenous and locally developed sheep (Nguni Pedi, Zulu, and Namaqua Afrikaner, Afrino, Africander, Bezuidenhout Africander, Damara, Dorper, Döhne Merino, Meat Master, South African Merino, South African Mutton Merino, Van Rooy, and Dorper), goat (SA veld, Tankwa, Imbuzi, Bantu, Boer, and Savanna) and cattle (Afrigus, Afrikaner, Bolowana, Bonsmara, Bovelder, Drakensberger, South African Angus, South African Dairy Swiss, South African Friesland, South African Red, and Veld Master) animals. These breeds require less veterinary service, feed, management efforts, provide income to rural and or poor owners. However, most of them are under extinction risks and some with unknown status hence, require immediate conservation intervention.

Seasonal Variations in Semen Quality, Testosterone Levels, and Scrotal Size following Dietary Flaxseed Oil and Ascorbic Acid in South African Indigenous Rams.

The purpose of this study was to determine the seasonal variations in semen quality, testosterone levels, and scrotal size, following dietary flaxseed oil and ascorbic acid in South African indigenous rams. A total of 22 South African indigenous rams were randomly distributed into five treatment diets from June 2021 to May 2022 (12 months). To allow for the spermatogenesis period, semen was collected after sixty days of dietary supplementation with treatment diets.

Assessing Reproductive Performance to Establish Benchmarks for Small-Holder Beef Cattle Herds in South Africa.

Smallholder beef cattle farms in South Africa have had low reproductive performance, which has been associated with management practices. Considering current farm management practices, a multi-stage selection study was conducted to assess reproductive performance as defined by pregnancy rate, fetal and calf losses, calving interval and days open to benchmark reproductive performance. Data were collected twice, in autumn (March−May) for pregnancy diagnosis and in spring (September−November) for monitoring of confirmed pregnancies.

Flaxseed Oil as a Source of Omega n-3 Fatty Acids to Improve Semen Quality from Livestock Animals: A Review.

The demand to conserve indigenous species through the cryo-gene bank is increasing. Spermatozoa remain sensitive to cryopreservation damages especially that of avian species thus limiting the use of reproductive biotechnologies such as artificial insemination in the conservation programs. Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LCPUFAs), specifically omega n-3, expanded a research interest to improve animal reproductive efficiency through improving spermatozoa quality.