Evaluation of the effect of calcium concentration in the wool of sires on se- men quality characteristics

   Chemical elements, as structural components of the body, influence physiological processes and functions of the organism, growth, productive and reproductive traits, resistance and others.

   In this regard, the present study aimed to evaluate the effect of different calcium concentrations in the wool of Holstein sires on the semen quality characteristics.

   The studies were conducted in conditions of Leningrad and Vologda regions on Holstein sires, 3–5 years old (n = 40). Calcium concentration in wool was determined by atomic emission and mass spectrometry (AES–ICP and MS–ICP). According to the results of this analysis and comparison with previously developed reference intervals, we formed four groups of sires: I – level of Ca concentration less than 25^th percentile, II and IV – within 25–75^th percentile (physiological norm: 1597–2926 mg/kg) and III – more than 75^th percentile. As a result of this distribution, the Ca concentration in the wool of animals of Group II was higher by 75.9 % compared to Group I; in turn, individuals of Group IV exceeded Group III – by 27.9 %. According to the results of semen quality characteristics evaluation, it was found that in the group of sires with Ca level within the previously developed reference intervals, the concentration of spermatozoa was higher by 15.3 % and their activity – by 0.17 points in fresh semen in comparison with the group with its reduced level (below the 25^th percentile). High Ca content (above the 75^th percentile) in wool contributed to a 9.0 % decrease in the concentration of spermatozoa compared to its average values. Thus, the calcium concentration, assessed by its level in the fur, affects the concentration and activity of sperm. It is necessary to evaluate it to improve the quality characteristics of sperm systematically.

1. Sharma M.C., Joshi C., Das G., Hussain K., Mineral nutrition and reproductive performance of the dairy animals : a review, Indian J. Anim. Sci., 2007, Vol. 77, pp. 599–608.

2. Strizhkova M.V., Konovalova T.V., Korotkevich O.S., Vestnik NGAU (Novosibirskij gosudarstvennyj agrarnyj universitet), 2017, No. 4 (45), pp. 75–82. (In Russ.))

3. Fraser LR., Minimum and maximum extracellular Ca²⁺ requirements during mouse sperm capacitation and fertilization in vitro, J Reprod Fertil, 1987, Sep, Vol. 81 (1), pp. 77–89, DOI: 10.1530/jrf.0.0810077.

4. Wong W.Y., Flik G., Groenen P.M., Swinkels D.W., Thomas C.M., Copius–Peereboom J.H., Merkus H.M., Steegers–Theunissen R.P., The impact of calcium, magnesium, zinc, and copper in blood and seminal plasma on semen parameters in men, Reprod Toxicol., 2001, Mar–Apr, Vol. 15 (2), pp. 131–136, DOI: 10.1016/s0890–6238(01)00113–7.

5. Marzec–Wróblewska U., Kamiński P., Lakota P., Influence of chemical elements on mammalian spermatozoa, Folia Biol (Praha), 2012, Vol. 58 (1), pp. 7–15.

6. Meseguer M., Garrido N., Martínez–Conejero J.A., Simón C., Pellicer A., Remohí J., Role of cholesterol, calcium, and mitochondrial activity in the susceptibility for cryodamage after a cycle of freezing and thawing, Fertil Steril., 2004, Mar, Vol. 81 (3), pp. 588–594, DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2003.09.035.

7. Mirnamniha M., Faroughi F., Tahmasbpour E., Ebrahimi P., Beigi Harchegani A., An overview on role of some trace elements in human reproductive health, sperm function and fertilization process, Rev Environ Health, 2019, Dec. 18, Vol. 34 (4), pp. 339–348, DOI: 10.1515/reveh–2019–0008.

8. Aguiar G.F., Batista B.L., Rodrigues J.L., Silva L.R., Campiglia A.D., Barbosa R.M., Barbosa F.Jr., Determination of trace elements in bovine semen samples by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and data mining techniques for identification of bovine class, J Dairy Sci, 2012, Dec, Vol. 95 (12), pp. 7066–7073, DOI: 10.3168/jds.2012–5515.

9. Banjoko S.O., Adeseolu F.O., Seminal Plasma pH, Inorganic Phosphate, Total and Ionized Calcium Concentrations In The Assessment of Human Spermatozoa Function, J Clin Diagn Res, 2013, Nov, Vol. 7 (11), pp. 2483–2486, DOI: 10.7860/JCDR/2013/6194.3585.

10. Prien S.D., Lox C.D., Messer R.H., DeLeon F.D., Seminal concentssrations of total and ionized calcium from men with normal and decreased motility, Fertil Steril, 1990, Jul, Vol. 54 (1), pp. 171–172.

11. Thomas P., Meizel S., An influx of extracellular calcium is required for initiation of the human sperm acrosome reaction induced by human follicular fluid, Gamete Res, 1988, Aug, Vol. 20 (4), pp. 397–411, DOI: 10.1002/mrd.1120200402.

12. Sørensen M.B., Bergdahl I.A., Hjøllund N.H., Bonde J.P., Stoltenberg M., Ernst E,. Zinc, magnesium and calcium in human seminal fluid: relations to other semen parameters and fertility, Mol Hum Reprod, 1999, Apr, Vol. 5 (4), pp. 331–337, DOI: 10.1093/molehr/5.4.331.

13. Wong W.Y., Flik G., Groenen P.M.W. et al., The impact of calcium, magnesium, zinc, and copper in blood and seminal plasma on semen parameters in men, Reproductive Toxicology, 2001, Vol. 15 (2), pp. 131–136, doi: 10.1016/S0890–6238(01)00113–7.

14. Schmid T.E., Grant P.G., Marchetti F., Weldon R.H., Eskenazi B., Wyrobek A.J., Elemental composition of human semen is associated with motility and genomic sperm defects among older men, Hum Reprod, 2013, Jan, Vol. 28 (1), pp. 274–282, DOI: 10.1093/humrep/des321.

15. Asano K., Suzuki K., Chiba M., Sera K., Asano R., Sakai T., Relationship between trace elements status in mane hair and atrial fibrillation in horse, J Vet Med Sci, 2006, Jul, Vol. 68 (7), pp. 769–771, URL: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Relationship-between-trace-elements-status-in-mane-Asano-Suzuki/5119ffd1c87419ac14b465173e7579e99cdf68da.

16. Frolov A.N., Zavyalov O.A., Kharlamov A.V., Agricultural Scientific Journal, No. 11, pp. 91–95, doi: 10.28983/asj.y2022i11pp91–95. (In Russ.)

17. Zheltikov A.I., Konovalova T.V., Sebezhko O.I., Ilyin V.V., Palchikov P.N., Korotkevich O.S., Petukhov V.L., Strizhkova M.V., Zaiko O. .A., Marenkov V.G., Narozhnykh K.N., Vestnik NGAU (Novosibirskij gosudarstvennyj agrarnyj universitet), 2021, No. 1 (58), pp. 92–100, DOI: 10.31677/2072–6724–2021–58–1–92–100. (In Russ.)

18. Zheltikov A.I., Korotkevich O.S., Vastyanov V.V., Kamaldinov E.V., Vestnik NGAU (Novosibirskij gosudarstvennyj agrarnyj universitet), 2010, No. 1 (13), pp. 26–29. (In Russ.)

19. Norms and rations for feeding farm animals. Reference manual. 3^rd edition revised and expanded (Norms and rations for feeding farm animals), Ed. A.P. Kalashnikova, V.I. Fisinina, V.V. Shcheglova, N.I. Kleimenova, Moscow, 2003, 456 p.

20. Frolov A.N., Zavyalov O.A., Kharlamov A.V., Proceedings of the Kuban State Agrarian University, 2022, No. 100, pp. 286–292, URL: https://proceedings.kubsau.ru/issue/2022/100/286-292.. (In Russ.)

21. Banjoko S.O., Adeseolu F.O., Seminal Plasma pH, Inorganic Phosphate, Total and Ionized Calcium Concentrations In The Assessment of Human Spermatozoa Function, J Clin Diagn Res, 2013, Nov, Vol. 7 (11), pp. 2483–2486, DOI: 10.7860/JCDR/2013/6194.3585.

22. Alvarez L., Dai L., Friedrich B.M., Kashikar N.D., Gregor I., Pascal R., Kaupp U.B., The rate of change in Ca⁽²⁺⁾ concentration controls sperm chemotaxis, J Cell Biol., 2012, Mar 5, Vol. 196 (5), pp. 653–563, DOI: 10.1083/jcb.201106096.

23. Tyler N.C., Namntu M., Ciacciariello M., Research Note: The effect of crude protein and calcium intake on fertility of male broiler breeders, Poult Sci, 2021, Sep, Vol. 100 (9), pp. 101284, DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2021.101284.