Mahdi Khodaei Motlagh - Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agricultural, University of Arak, Iran

Background: The objective of this study was to determine the effect of dietary pistachio by-product (PBP) dietary inclusion on sperm fatty acids profile.Methods: Fifteen fertile rams (mean live weight 55.9±1.21 kg, 2.5-3 years old) were randomly allocated to three groups (0 (C), 12.5 (T1) and25 % (T2)) to investigate the effect of different levels of pistachio by-product for 120 days. Semen was collected in breeding season of Iranian sheep at twice a week from August 2, 2014 to December 2, 2014. The semen quality parameters were recorded for semen volume, percentages of motile and progressively motile sperm, normal morphology and sperm viability. The profile of fatty acids in the seminal plasma membrane of the rams was determined by GC. These data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA using SAS software package.Result: The results showed that all fatty acid profiles did not show significant differences between C and T1 groups but at the end of the feeding phase, C17-1, C22-6-n-3, C18-2-Cis and C22-6 n-3 (p Conclusion: These results indicate that adding 12.5% PBP as a cheap by-product could be economically reasonable for extended times in rams.

Fatty acids profile, Ram, Sperm