Iranian Veterinary Journal

Iranian Veterinary Journal

Effect of Dietary Supplementation with Rosemary Essential Oil and Selenium on Fertility Gene Expression in Broiler Breeder Roosters

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
mahmood nazari 1
Hedaiat allah Roshanfekr 2
Sepideh Rostami 3
Saleh Tabatabaei Vakili 4
Safora Barzegar 3
Bahare Taheri Dezfuli 5
1 Associate Professor, Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Animal Science and Food Technology, Agricultural Science and Natural Resources University of Khuzestan, Mollasani, Iran
2 Professor, Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Animal Science and Food Technology, Agricultural Science and Natural Resources University of Khuzestan, Mollasani, Iran
3 PhD Graduate of Animal Science, Faculty of Animal Science and Food Technology, Agricultural Science and Natural Resources University of Khuzestan, Mollasani, Iran
4 Associate Professor, Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Animal science and Food Technology, Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University of Khuzestan, Mollasani, Iran
5 Associate Professor, Department of Animal Science Research, Khuzestan Agricultural and Natural Recourses Research and Education Centre, AREEO, Ahwaz, Iran
10.22055/ivj.2025.535387.2818
Abstract
    Advancing age in broiler roosters reduces reproductive potential. Natural antioxidants, such as rosemary oil and selenium, are expected to enhance reproductive function by reducing oxidative stress. This study aimed to investigate how these antioxidants affect the expression of fertility genes (StAR and PVRL3) in aging roosters. Forty-two Ross 308 broiler roosters, all over 50 weeks old, were used in a factorial experiment in a completely randomized design over 10 weeks. Treatments were: 1) Control diet, 2) Basic diet +100mg/kg rosemary essential oil, 3) +200mg/kg rosemary essential oil, 4) +0.3mg/kg selenium-enriched yeast, 5) +100mg/kg rosemary essential oil and 0.3mg/kg selenium-enriched yeast, and 6)+200mg/kg rosemary essential oil and 0.3mg/kg selenium-enriched yeast. At the end of the treatment, three samples of testicular tissue from each treatment were collected and stored at -80°C. The expression levels of the StAR and PVRL3 genes were measured using real-time quantitative PCR. The results indicated that rosemary oil did not significantly affect StAR gene expression. However, a dose of 200 mg/kg significantly reduced PVRL3 expression, whereas the 100 mg/kg dose did not show a significant effect. Selenium supplementation at a dosage of 0.3 mg/kg significantly increased the expression of the StAR and PVRL3 genes. Adding 100 mg/kg of rosemary along with 0.3 mg/kg of selenium significantly increased the expression of the PVRL-3 gene. However, when 200 mg of rosemary was added in the presence of selenium, a decrease in PVRL-3 gene expression was observed, and selenium did not prevent this decline. This suggests that using 200 mg of rosemary essential oil may be undesirable. Based on these results, adding 100 mg/kg of rosemary along with 0.3 mg of selenium-enriched yeast to the diet of older broiler breeder roosters is recommended.
Keywords
Aged rooster
PVRL3
Rosemary
Selenium

Subjects

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