Effect of Adding Fruit Powder (Brassica oleracea L.) to the Diet of Broiler Breeder Males on Some Biochemical and Reproductive Traits

Abstract

Abstract This study aims to investigate the impact of adding various levels of kohlrabi (Brassica oleracea var. caulorapa. L) Powder to the diet of Ross 308 broiler breeder males on certain biochemical characteristics in blood serum, seminal plasma, fertility traits, and hatchability traits for two consecutive hatchings. Twenty-five roosters at 45 weeks of age were distributed among five treatments, with each treatment consisting of 5 replicates, where each replicate had one rooster. All replicates were subjected to identical conditions of nutrition, temperature, and lighting. Seventy-five broiler breeder hens of the same strain and age were used for artificial insemination with rooster semen. These hens were divided into five treatments, with 15 hens per treatment. Kohlrabi (Brassica oleracea var. caulorapa. L) Powder was added to the roosters’ feed as follows: T1 - 5 mg 100 g−1 feed, T2 - 10 mg100 g−1 g feed, T3 - 15 mg100 g−1 g feed, T4 - 20 mg100 g−1 feed, and T5 - control (no addition). The aim was to study changes in the activity of certain reproductive hormones in blood serum, as well as some antioxidant enzymes in sperm plasma. The results indicated a clear improvement in the antioxidant status in the addition treatments compared to the control group, manifested by an increase in catalase (CAT) and glutathione (GSH) levels and a decrease in Malondialdehyde (MDA). Additionally, there was an improvement in testosterone, Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH), and Luteinizing Hormone (LH) levels, accompanied by a significant enhancement in fertility and hatchability traits. We conclude from this study that some of the active substances found in Kohlrabi fruit powder have the ability to improve the reproductive hormone activity in the serum of mature broiler breeder roosters, with improved antioxidants in seminal plasma, and improve fertility and hatchability rates.