Desempenho, consumo de matéria seca, parâmetros seminais e proteômica do plasma seminal e da membrana espermática de carneiros Morada Nova alimentados com dieta à base de castanha de caju

Abstract

The cashew nut meal is alternative food for ruminant nutrition which is rich in lipids, proteins and minerals. However, its nutrition influences on male development and reproduction are still unknown. In this context, seminal and sperm protein analysis can show metabolic consequences from cashew nut meal on sheep reproductive efficiency. Therefore, the current dissertation aims evaluate the effects of 13% of cashew nut meal in the ration on the weight gain, food intake, carcass yield, weight of sexual organs, sperm quality and, seminal and sperm membrane proteins of Morada Nova Rams. Twenty rams were divided in two groups: cashew nut and control, which received 13% or 0% of cashew nut meal in the diet, respectively. During ninety days, the animals were kept in individual boxes and evaluated for ration consumption and weight gain. The sperm collections by eletroejaculation were made by weekly and, the volume, sperm concentration and motility were analyzed. After ninety days, the seminal and sperm membrane proteins were analyzed by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The gels were digitalized, and their images were evaluated by computer software. At the end of the experiment, the rams were slaughtered and, the weight gain, carcass yield and weight of sexual organs were measured. There was not effect of cashew nut meal addition in the diet on the weight gain, carcass yield and weight of sexual organs. But, after sixty days, there was a reduction on food intake in the cashew nut group (P < 0,05). The sperm quality was not influenced by the diet. We observed an effect of cashew nut diet on the expression of seminal and sperm proteins. Seven spots from seminal plasma were expressed differently between cashew nut and control groups (P < 0,05). The spot 2206 (21,82 kDa; pI: 5,04) was negatively correlated with the individual motility score (r = -0,49). Additionally, seven spots from sperm membrane protein also differ between rams from cashew nut and control groups (P < 0,05). In conclusion, the addition of 13% of cashew nut meal in the diet alters the expression of sheep seminal plasma and sperm membrane proteins.