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Review
. 2017 May;30(5):622-637.
doi: 10.5713/ajas.15.1034. Epub 2016 Mar 4.

Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Male Ruminant Reproduction - A Review

Len Van Tran  1 , Bilal Ahmad Malla  2 , Sachin Kumar  2 , Amrish Kumar Tyagi  2
Affiliations
Review

Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Male Ruminant Reproduction - A Review

Len Van Tran et al. Asian-Australas J Anim Sci. 2017 May.

Abstract

Fatty acids such as n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are critical nutrients, used to improve male reproductive performance through modification of fatty acid profile and maintenance of sperm membrane integrity, especially under cold shock or cryopreservation condition. Also, PUFA provide the precursors for prostaglandin synthesis and can modulate the expression patterns of many key enzymes involved in both prostaglandin and steroid metabolism. Many studies carried out on diets supplemented with PUFA have demonstrated their capability to sustain sperm motility, viability and fertility during chilling and freezing as well as improving testis development and spermatogenesis in a variety of livestock species. In addition to the type and quantity of dietary fatty acids, ways of addition of PUFA to diet or semen extender is very crucial as it has different effects on semen quality in male ruminants. Limitation of PUFA added to ruminant ration is due to biohydrogenation by rumen microorganisms, which causes conversion of unsaturated fatty acids to saturated fatty acids, leading to loss of PUFA quantity. Thus, many strategies for protecting PUFA from biohydrogenation in rumen have been developed over the years. This paper reviews four aspects of PUFA in light of previous research including rumen metabolism, biological roles, influence on reproduction, and strategies to use in male ruminants.

Keywords: Male Reproduction; Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids; Semen Extender; Sperm Membrane; Sperm Quality.

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Conflict of interest statement

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

We certify that there is no conflict of interest with any financial organization regarding the material discussed in the manuscript.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The metabolic pathways of n-6 and n-3 families of polyunsaturated fatty acids (Lenzi et al [49]).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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