ABSTRACT
This study aimed to evaluate the effect of antioxidant supplementation in diets of aging broiler breeder roosters on reproductive characteristics. Cobb roosters were divided into four groups, according to antioxidant addition, where: A = control group (without antioxidant supplementation); B = 9ppm of citranaxanthin; C = 6ppm of canthaxanthin, and D = 150ppm of vitamin E. Seminal characteristics (volume, force, motility and concentration), semen fatty acid composition (saturated, unsaturated, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, ω3, ω6 and ω9), and the correlation between testis weight with rooster weight were evaluated. No effects of the antioxidants tested were observed. The antioxidants do not influence the reproductive responses of aging male broiler breeder.
Keywords:
antioxidant; broiler breeder; male; semen