The quality of sperm production of boars, subject to the use of walnuts in the diet

Abstract

Goal. To study the effect of feeding boars with walnuts on the quality of their sperm production. Methods. The study was conducted in 2025 in the scientific production laboratory of the Institute of Pig Breeding and Agroindustrial Production of NAAS by the method of group-periods. Animal sperm was obtained by the manual method, and its physiological parameters were determined according to the instructions for artificial insemination. Statistical data processing was carried out using Microsoft Excel 365 and Statistica 12.0. The probability of difference was calculated using a test for dependent samples and analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results. It was found that during the experiments in the cold season (February–March), the volume of ejaculate in the boars of the experimental group increased by 30.3 ml compared to the beginning of the studies, sperm activity increased by 10%, and spermatozoa concentration by 0.08 billion/cm3. The total number of spermatozoa and the number of live among them compared to the control increased, respectively, by 82.3 and 124%; sperm thermoresistance increased by 12.9%. In boar’s sperm plasma, probably (p < 0.05), the content of total protein increased by 20.14%, and total cholesterol by 6.06%. During the experiments in the warm season (June–July), the ejaculate volume in the boars of the experimental group increased by 31 ml, the sperm activity increased from 78 to 93%, and the spermatozoa concentration was 0.32 billion/cm3 (compared with 0.225 billion/cm3 at the beginning of the experiment). The amount of total aspartate aminotransferase (AsAT) protein and total cholesterol probably increased in boar sperm plasma. Conclusions. Feeding boars with the crushed walnut kernels had a positive effect on the quality indicators of their sperm products and the biochemical composition of sperm plasma, both in the cold and in the warm season.