Artículos de revistas
Productive performance and reproductive characteristics of Morada Nova male lambs fed with high-energy diet
Fecha
2019-11-01Registro en:
Tropical Animal Health And Production. Dordrecht: Springer, v. 51, n. 8, p. 2481-2491, 2019.
0049-4747
10.1007/s11250-019-01969-0
WOS:000494799400044
Autor
Fed Univ Para
Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária (EMBRAPA)
Fluminense Fed Univ
Universidade de São Paulo (USP)
Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp)
Institución
Resumen
Morada Nova breed sheep are without wool, tropicalized, small-sized animals, known for their high-quality meat and skin. Their body development naturally depends on the genetic potential and adequate nutritional support, which suggests that the offer of high-energy density diets positively influences their productive indicators. Thus, the present study investigated the effect of a high-energy diet for the Morada Nova lambs on body development and testicular function, considering their histomorphometric characteristics and seminal quality. Forty-two males (19.2 weeks, 20.7 +/- 3.5 kg) were equally divided into two groups and fed with 2.05 Mcal (G7, n=21) or 2.37 Mcal (G24, n=21) of metabolizable energy/day, equivalent to 7% and 24% above the minimum for growing lambs. The animals were confined for 23 weeks (W0 to W23). Weight and body score differed significantly from the W1 (P<0.05). From the W5, thoracic perimeter, body length, wither height, and rump attributes were higher in G24 (P<0.05). The scrotal circumference and testicular volume were higher in G24 from the W3 (P<0.05). Although testosterone levels were not affected (P =0.05), the highest energy intake increased the diameter of the seminiferous tubules and the development of the epididymal epithelium (P<0.05). This positively influenced the seminal quality and reduced the minor defects (21.87% vs. 17.13%) and the total spermatic defects (26.34% vs. 21.78%, P<0.05). Thus, it is possible to employ higher levels of dietary energy for Morada Nova young males to express higher productive efficiency and earlier reproductive attributes of interest.