Evaluation of Marjoram Leaves (Oregano vulgar) as Feed Supplement on Quality of Semen in Awasian Pollination Rams

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of Marjoram leaves (Oregano vulgar) as a feed supplement on sexual efficiency and semen quality in Awasian pollination rams. The study was conducted on ten rams in one of the private fields in the Babylon governorate. The rams were divided randomly into two groups. First group rams are regarded as a control group (group A) that feeds on exceptional concentric food for pollination rams. The second group consists of ۵ rams (group B) provided with the same concentric food plus a supplement of ۳ mg/kg of body weight of Oregano vulgar leaves (fresh) ۳ times daily for ۴۹ days before the pollination season (April and May). Semen samples were collected at the end of ۴۹ days by artificial vagina to evaluate the volume of ejaculate, sperm number, concentration, motility, viability, and deformities, and to measure the sperm pleomorphic parameters of the head, nucleus, and acrosome. The antioxidant status of seminal plasma was evaluated by measuring superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC). ELISA tests were used on blood serum samples to measure the hormone levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), testosterone, and estrogen. The study demonstrated a significant increase in motility, the viability of sperm, and decreasing deformities. There was no significant variation in perimorphic parameters of the head, nucleus, and acrosome sperm after using the fresh leaves of Oregano vulgar as supplementation to Awasion sheep. However, there was an increase in the antioxidant enzymes (SOD, GPX, and TAC) in seminal plasma and an increase in LH, testosterone, and estrogen in the blood serum of experimental group B. These findings show that using fresh leaves of Oregano vulgar improved the sexual efficiency of pollinated rams and maintained the physiology and perimorphic parameters of semen and sperm.

Keywords:

Marjoram leaves , Semen quality , pollination , Awasian rams