Application of chitosan in improvement of animal semen quality and feed additive and feed thereof

Abstract

The invention is suitable for the technical field of livestock breeding, and provides an application of chitosan in improvement of animal semen quality, and a feed additive and a feed thereof. The invention discovers that the quality of the semen of the male livestock can be obviously improved by adding 1000mg / kg of chitosan into the daily ration of the sexual mature male livestock (sheep, pigs, cattle and the like) and continuously feeding the male livestock with the chitosan for 2 months. The discovery not only optimizes the reproductive performance of the male livestock, but also lays a solid foundation for realizing efficient production and stable income of a large-scale farm. In addition, the implementation method is green, efficient, simple and convenient to operate and relatively low in cost, and no extra labor or cost is added to the pasture. The introduction of the chitosan feed additive not only accords with the pursuit of modern animal husbandry for greenness and safety, but also provides an economical and practical solution for breeders to cope with challenges in breeding management and promote the sustainable and healthy development of animal husbandry.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of livestock breeding, and particularly relates to the application of chitosan in improving the semen quality of animals, as well as its feed additive and feed. Background Art

[0002] In the field of livestock breeding, in the face of the severe challenges of disease prevention and control and the need for cost control, the industry trend is towards large-scale and intensive development. This transformation not only enhances the efficiency of breeding management but also promotes the optimal allocation of resources. In large-scale breeding systems, artificial insemination (AI) technology is crucial. It significantly improves production safety by reducing the risk of pathogen transmission during natural mating, speeds up the breeding process, reduces labor costs, and brings significant economic benefits to the breeding industry. It should be noted that the success rate and effectiveness of artificial insemination are not only determined by the professional skills of operators and the standardization of processes but, more importantly, by the semen quality of the male animals used. The quality of semen is directly related to the fertilization rate, embryo quality, and subsequent breeding benefits. Therefore, ensuring high-quality semen from male animals is a key link in guaranteeing the effectiveness of artificial insemination in large-scale breeding. High-temperature environments pose challenges to the semen quality of male animals, easily leading to a significant decline in semen quality, specifically manifested as an increase in sperm malformation rate and a decrease in sperm motility. If this decline in semen quality cannot be effectively controlled, it will directly have a negative impact on the breeding efficiency and production benefits of the farm, affecting the smooth progress of the entire breeding cycle. In addition, traditional methods improve semen quality by adjusting the feed formula, but male animals of different breeds and ages have large differences in nutritional requirements, making it difficult to formulate a unified and precise nutrition management plan. Reproductive system diseases are also important factors affecting semen quality, but the prevention and treatment of diseases require professional veterinary knowledge and technical support, and some diseases are difficult to cure and are prone to recurrence. Although genetic improvement can, to a certain extent, improve the reproductive performance of male animals, the breeding cycle is long, the cost is high, and the effect is restricted by various factors. In contrast, improving and enhancing the semen quality of male animals by feeding safe and non-toxic functional additives is of great significance for ensuring the stability and growth of the production benefits of farms.

[0003] Chitosan, as a natural product, is obtained by the deacetylation reaction of chitin. Chitin is widely present in the exoskeletons of crustaceans and insects, as well as the cell walls of most fungi and some algae, especially shrimp shells and crab shells, which have become the main sources of chitosan. Compared with chitin, chitosan has better biocompatibility and degradability and has been declared generally recognized as safe by the US FDA. Chitosan has a wide range of uses in the fields of medicine, food, environmental protection, etc. It is not yet clear whether chitosan can be applied to male animals to improve their semen quality. Therefore, the application of chitosan in improving the semen quality of animals, as well as its feed additive and feed, are proposed. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The object of the present invention is to provide the application of chitosan in improving the semen quality of animals, as well as its feed additive and feed, aiming to solve the problems raised in the above-mentioned background technology.

[0005] To achieve the above object, the present invention provides the following technical solutions: The application of chitosan in improving the semen quality of animals, wherein the semen quality includes ejaculate volume, sperm motility, semen density, sperm malformation rate and acrosome integrity rate.

[0006] Further, the chitosan is fed to sexually mature male animals for 2 months; the male animals include sheep, pigs and cattle.

[0007] A feed additive for improving the semen quality of animals, with the active ingredient being chitosan.

[0008] A feed for improving the semen quality of animals, including a basal diet and chitosan; the mass dosage ratio of chitosan to the basal diet is 1:1000.

[0009] Further, the basal diet of rams includes: 22.79% corn, 11.69% soybean meal, 10% wheat bran, 52% corn straw, 1.25% stone powder, 0.87% calcium hydrogen phosphate, 0.4% sodium chloride and 1% HeFeng premix; The basal diet of boars includes: 61.88% corn, 21.01% rapeseed cake, 10% soybean meal, 2.07% fish meal, 1.5% soybean oil, 1.27% calcium hydrogen phosphate, 0.96% stone powder, 0.23% sodium chloride, 0.07% lysine and 1% premix; The basal diet of bulls includes: 55% Chinese wildrye, 22.5% corn, 9.45% soybean meal, 0.9% fish meal, 9.9% wheat bran, 0.135% calcium bicarbonate, 0.315% sodium chloride and 1.8% premix.

[0010] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are: The present invention first applies chitosan to the feeding of male livestock such as sheep, pigs, and cattle, and innovatively explores its potential in improving semen quality. Chitosan, as a natural product, is developed into a new type of safe feed additive due to its characteristics of being safe, non-toxic, having good biocompatibility, and being easily degradable. It aims to replace traditional drug additives, thereby effectively reducing the potential risks of toxic side effects and drug resistance, and providing a solid guarantee for the long-term health of male livestock. The present invention discovers that by adding 1000 mg / kg of chitosan to the diet of sexually mature male livestock and continuously feeding for 2 months, the semen quality of male livestock can be significantly improved. This discovery not only optimizes the reproductive performance of male livestock but also lays a solid foundation for achieving efficient production and stable income in large-scale farms. In addition, the implementation method of the present invention is green and efficient, simple to operate, and relatively low in cost, without adding extra labor or cost to the ranch. The introduction of chitosan feed additive not only meets the modern livestock industry's pursuit of green and safety but also provides a cost-effective solution for breeders to cope with the challenges in reproductive management and promotes the sustainable and healthy development of the livestock industry. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the experimental scheme of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] In order to make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the present invention clearer, the present invention will be further described in detail below in conjunction with the drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present invention and are not used to limit the present invention.

[0013] The following describes the specific implementation of the present invention in detail in conjunction with specific embodiments.

[0014] In order to detect the effects of feeding different doses of chitosan on the semen quality (ejaculate volume, sperm motility, semen density, sperm malformation rate, acrosome integrity rate) of male livestock ( Figure 1 ), different doses of chitosan (Table 4) were added to the basal diet of male livestock (sheep, pigs, cattle) (Tables 1 - 3) to feed sexually mature male livestock, and the feeding was quantitative (twice a day).

[0015] Table 1. Basal diet formula for rams Raw material name Addition ratio (%) Corn 22.79 Soybean meal 11.69 Wheat bran 10 Corn straw 52 Limestone powder 1.25 Calcium hydrogen phosphate 0.87 Sodium chloride 0.4 Premix 1 Total 100 Among them, the premix components ( / kg of diet): 200 mg of copper; 500 mg of iron; 2000 mg of manganese; 4000 mg of zinc; 50 mg of iodine; 20 mg of selenium; 50000 IU of VA; 60000 IU of VD; 1800 mg of VE.

[0016] Table 2. Basal diet formula for boars Raw material name Addition ratio (%) Corn 61.88 Rapeseed cake 21.01 Soybean meal 10 Fish meal 2.07 Soybean oil 1.5 Calcium hydrogen phosphate 1.27 Limestone powder 0.96 Sodium chloride 0.23 Lysine 0.07 Premix 1 Total 100 Among them, the premix components ( / kg diet): 15 mg of copper; 140 mg of iron; 40 mg of manganese; 140 mg of zinc; 0.5 mg of iodine; 0.3 mg of selenium; 1200 IU of VA; 2000 IU of VD; 50 mg of VE; 3 mg of VK; 2 mg of VB 1 ; 5 mg of VB 6 ; 0.02 mg of VB 12 ; 400 mg of choline; 2 mg of folic acid; 20 mg of niacin; 12 mg of pantothenic acid; 0.15 mg of biotin.

[0017] Table 3. Basic diet formula for bulls Raw material name Addition ratio (%) Leymus chinensis 55 Corn 22.5 Soybean meal 9.45 Fish meal 0.9 Wheat bran 9.9 Calcium bicarbonate 0.135 Sodium chloride 0.315 Premix 1.8 Total 100 Among them, the premix components ( / kg diet): 50 g of magnesium; 2.5 g of iron; 0.4 g of copper; 2 g of manganese; 1.5 g of zinc; 10 mg of selenium; 25 mg of iodine; 5 mg of cobalt; 80000 IU of VA; 12500 IU of VD; 1250 mg of VE.

[0018] Table 4. Feeding amount of chitosan Grouping Addition amount per male animal Control group Basal diet Experimental group 1 (low-dose group) Basal diet + 500 mg / kg chitosan in diet Experimental group 2 (high-dose group) Basal diet + 1000 mg / kg chitosan in diet Example 1: Sixty sexually mature rams were divided into 3 groups (control group, experimental group 1, and experimental group 2), with 20 rams in each group. Different doses of chitosan were fed according to the experimental scheme in Table 4 for 2 months. After the experiment, semen quality was detected. The results are shown in Table 5 as follows: Table 5. Effects of chitosan on semen quality of rams Index Control group Experimental group 1 Experimental group 2 Ejaculate volume (ml) 0.82±0.11 0.85±0.13 <![CDATA[0.99±0.08 * > Sperm motility (%) 85.2±5.21 <![CDATA[89.8±7.46 * > <![CDATA[89.3±6.73 * > <![CDATA[Semen density 10 8 / ml]]> 5.03±0.21 4.97±0.23 <![CDATA[5.53±0.12 * > Sperm malformation rate (%) 6.88±0.15 <![CDATA[6.12±0.25 * > <![CDATA[5.82±0.12 * > Acrosome integrity rate (%) 97.3±1.15 97.1±2.25 97.5±1.56 It was found from Table 5 that after feeding different doses of chitosan, compared with the control group, experimental group 1 significantly increased the sperm motility of rams (5%) and decreased the sperm malformation rate (11%). Experimental group 2 significantly increased the ejaculate volume (20%), sperm motility (4.8%), and semen density (9.9%) of rams and decreased the sperm malformation rate (15.4%) (Table 5).

[0019] Example 2: Thirty-six sexually mature boars were divided into 3 groups (control group, experimental group 1, and experimental group 2), with 12 boars in each group. Different doses of chitosan were fed according to the experimental scheme in Table 4 for 2 months. After the experiment, semen quality was detected. The results are shown in Table 6 as follows: Table 6. Effects of chitosan on semen quality of boars Index Control group Experimental group 1 Experimental group 2 Ejaculate volume (ml) 275±25.31 285±16.25 312.8±22.02 Sperm motility (%) 84.34±2.092 <![CDATA[88.5±3.42 * > <![CDATA[90.83±1.263 * > <![CDATA[Semen density 10 8 / ml]]> 3.02±0.53 3.22±0.43 <![CDATA[3.85±0.37 * > Sperm malformation rate (%) 7.5±1.01 <![CDATA[5.23±0.77 * > <![CDATA[3.9±0.98 * > Acrosome integrity rate (%) 91.8±0.9 92.3±1.05 <![CDATA[95.7±1.03 * > It was found from Table 6 that after feeding different doses of chitosan, compared with the control group, the ejaculate volume (3.6%) and sperm motility (4.9%) of boars in experimental group 1 were significantly increased, and the sperm malformation rate (30%) was decreased. In experimental group 2, the ejaculate volume (13.7%), sperm motility (7.7%), semen density (27%) and acrosome integrity rate (4.2%) of boars were significantly increased, and the sperm malformation rate (48%) was decreased (Table 6).

[0020] Example 3: Thirty sexually mature bulls were divided into three groups (control group, experimental group 1 and experimental group 2), with 10 bulls in each group. Different doses of chitosan were fed according to the experimental scheme in Table 4 for 2 months. After the experiment, semen quality was detected. The results are shown in Table 7: Table 7. Effects of chitosan on semen quality of bulls Index Control group Experimental group 1 Experimental group 2 Ejaculate volume (ml) 6.66±0.34 <![CDATA[7.56±0.24 * > <![CDATA[7.96±0.35 * > Sperm motility (%) 70.67±6.12 71.03±6.22 71.28±5.34 <![CDATA[Semen density 10 8 / ml]]> 9.12±1.44 <![CDATA[11.34±2.27 * > <![CDATA[12.17±2.76 * > Sperm malformation rate (%) 10.5±3.21 10.52±5.08 10.12±4.34 Acrosome integrity rate (%) 60.12±4.9 62.7±4.2 <![CDATA[70.2±5.21 * > It was found from Table 7 that after feeding different doses of chitosan, the ejaculate volume (13.5%) and semen density (24%) of bulls in experimental group 1 were significantly increased. In experimental group 2, the ejaculate volume (19.5%), semen density (33%) and acrosome integrity rate (16.7%) of bulls were significantly increased (Table 7).

[0021] In summary, feeding chitosan with basal diet + 500 mg / kg diet and feeding chitosan with basal diet + 1000 mg / kg diet can both significantly improve the semen quality of male livestock. However, the effect of feeding chitosan with basal diet + 1000 mg / kg diet is better and can be popularized and applied in farms.

[0022] The above is only the preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, without departing from the concept of the present invention, several modifications and improvements can be made, which should also be regarded as the protection scope of the present invention, and these will not affect the implementation effect of the present invention and the practicability of the patent.

Claims

1. The application of chitosan in improving the quality of animal semen is characterized by: The semen quality includes ejaculation volume, sperm motility, semen density, sperm deformity rate and acrosome integrity rate.

2. The use of chitosan according to claim 1 in improving the quality of animal semen, characterized in that: The chitosan is fed to sexually mature male animals for 2 months; the male animals include sheep, pigs and cattle.

3. A feed additive for improving the quality of animal semen, characterized in that: The active ingredient is chitosan.

4. A feed for improving the quality of animal semen, characterized in that: The invention comprises a basic diet and chitosan; the mass usage ratio of the chitosan to the basic diet is 1:1000.

5. The feed for improving animal semen quality according to claim 4, characterized in that: The basic diet for rams includes: 22.79% corn, 11.69% soybean meal, 10% wheat bran, 52% corn stover, 1.25% rock powder, 0.87% calcium hydrogen phosphate, 0.4% sodium chloride and 1% Hefeng premix; The basic diet for boars includes: 61.88% corn, 21.01% rapeseed cake, 10% soybean meal, 2.07% fish meal, 1.5% soybean oil, 1.27% calcium hydrogen phosphate, 0.96% rock powder, 0.23% sodium chloride, 0.07% lysine and 1% premix; The basic diet for bulls includes: 55% sheep grass, 22.5% corn, 9.45% soybean meal, 0.9% fish meal, 9.9% wheat bran, 0.135% calcium bicarbonate, 0.315% sodium chloride and 1.8% premix.

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