Activity of Different Types of Cactus Forage on Testicular Function and Morphology of Sheep Subjected to Environmental Heat Stress
In this study, we aim to analyze whether supplementation with cactus has the potential to minimize the testicular damage caused by heat stress, assess which of the three cactuses would have the best potential, and suggest a possible pathway (oxidative or hormonal) for the action of cactus on the tes...
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MDPI AG
2025-05-01
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| author | Giselle Woolley Cardoso da Silva Fernanda Carolina Ribeiro Dias Marli do Carmo Cupertino Alluanan Adelson do Nascimento Silva Ângela Maria Vieira Batista Emanuel Felipe de Oliveira Filho Francisco Fernando Ramos de Carvalho Ana Lúcia Figueiredo Porto Valdemiro Amaro da Silva Júnior |
| author_facet | Giselle Woolley Cardoso da Silva Fernanda Carolina Ribeiro Dias Marli do Carmo Cupertino Alluanan Adelson do Nascimento Silva Ângela Maria Vieira Batista Emanuel Felipe de Oliveira Filho Francisco Fernando Ramos de Carvalho Ana Lúcia Figueiredo Porto Valdemiro Amaro da Silva Júnior |
| author_sort | Giselle Woolley Cardoso da Silva |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In this study, we aim to analyze whether supplementation with cactus has the potential to minimize the testicular damage caused by heat stress, assess which of the three cactuses would have the best potential, and suggest a possible pathway (oxidative or hormonal) for the action of cactus on the testicular parameter alterations caused by heat stress. Thirty-two male lambs, of the Santa Inês type, not castrated, approximately six months old, and averaging 21.0 ± 2.0 kg body weight, were divided into four groups, as follows: G1, which was fed an elephant grass hay diet (control); G2, with a diet with partial replacement using small cactus forage (<i>Opuntia cochenillifera</i>) (SMALL); G3, which was fed Mexican elephant ear (<i>Opuntia stricta</i> Haw) (MEE); and G4, which was fed IPA Sertania (<i>Nopalea cochenillifera</i> Salm Dyck) (IPA) for 63 days. After slaughter, blood and testicles were removed. The right testicles were fixed for histological analyses, and the left testicles were stored in the freezer for oxidative stress analyses. Serum testosterone, T3, and T4 levels were analyzed. The body weight of animals treated with cactus forage was higher than in the control group. However, the gonadosomatic index did not differ among experimental groups. Heat stress triggered the degradation of testis tissue in all experimental groups. The testicular degeneration process was characterized by tubular atrophy, reduction in germ epithelium height, germ cell vacuolization and necrosis, Sertoli cell vacuolization, germ cell scaling of the tubular fire, and increased intertubular space. The three different cactus forages used in this study had different weaknesses regarding their antioxidant defenses, hormonal levels, and histopathology. However, it is important to highlight that the IPA group had lower qualitative changes in the intertubular areas than the other experimental groups. The testosterone level increased in MEE (<i>Opuntia stricta</i>) and IPA groups, while T3 and T4 increased in <i>SMALL</i> (<i>Opuntia cochenillifera</i>) and IPA groups. The malondialdehyde, an important marker of lipid peroxidation, was reduced only in the IPA group. The testosterone level increased in MEE and IPA groups, while T3 and T4 increased in SMALL and IPA groups. In conclusion, heat stress triggers several histopathologies in testis tissue, and IPA cactus (<i>Nopalea cochenillifera</i>) was the most appropriate supplementation for reducing the damages, compared with an elephant grass hay diet or small cactus forage and Mexican elephant ear supplementation. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2306-7381 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Veterinary Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-e106d4e4816345f8ac76e2a90fd4e3f92025-08-20T03:47:57ZengMDPI AGVeterinary Sciences2306-73812025-05-0112549210.3390/vetsci12050492Activity of Different Types of Cactus Forage on Testicular Function and Morphology of Sheep Subjected to Environmental Heat StressGiselle Woolley Cardoso da Silva0Fernanda Carolina Ribeiro Dias1Marli do Carmo Cupertino2Alluanan Adelson do Nascimento Silva3Ângela Maria Vieira Batista4Emanuel Felipe de Oliveira Filho5Francisco Fernando Ramos de Carvalho6Ana Lúcia Figueiredo Porto7Valdemiro Amaro da Silva Júnior8Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Av. Dom Manoel de Medeiros s/n, Dois Irmãos, Recife 52171-900, PE, BrazilDepartamento de Biologia Estrutural, Universidade federal do Triângulo Mineiro, Rua Vigário Carlos, 100, Bairro Nossa Sra. da Abadia, Uberaba 38025-350, MG, BrazilDepartamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Av. P.H. Holfs s/n, Viçosa 36570-900, MG, BrazilDepartamento de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Av. Dom Manoel de Medeiros s/n, Dois Irmãos, Recife 52171-900, PE, BrazilDepartamento de Zootecnia, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Av. Dom Manoel de Medeiros s/n, Dois Irmãos, Recife 52171-900, PE, BrazilCentro Multidisciplinar de Barra da Universidade Federal do Oeste da Bahia (UFOB), Av. 23 de Agosto, SN, Assunçao, Barra 47100-000, BA, BrazilDepartamento de Zootecnia, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Av. Dom Manoel de Medeiros s/n, Dois Irmãos, Recife 52171-900, PE, BrazilDepartamento de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Av. Dom Manoel de Medeiros s/n, Dois Irmãos, Recife 52171-900, PE, BrazilDepartamento de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Av. Dom Manoel de Medeiros s/n, Dois Irmãos, Recife 52171-900, PE, BrazilIn this study, we aim to analyze whether supplementation with cactus has the potential to minimize the testicular damage caused by heat stress, assess which of the three cactuses would have the best potential, and suggest a possible pathway (oxidative or hormonal) for the action of cactus on the testicular parameter alterations caused by heat stress. Thirty-two male lambs, of the Santa Inês type, not castrated, approximately six months old, and averaging 21.0 ± 2.0 kg body weight, were divided into four groups, as follows: G1, which was fed an elephant grass hay diet (control); G2, with a diet with partial replacement using small cactus forage (<i>Opuntia cochenillifera</i>) (SMALL); G3, which was fed Mexican elephant ear (<i>Opuntia stricta</i> Haw) (MEE); and G4, which was fed IPA Sertania (<i>Nopalea cochenillifera</i> Salm Dyck) (IPA) for 63 days. After slaughter, blood and testicles were removed. The right testicles were fixed for histological analyses, and the left testicles were stored in the freezer for oxidative stress analyses. Serum testosterone, T3, and T4 levels were analyzed. The body weight of animals treated with cactus forage was higher than in the control group. However, the gonadosomatic index did not differ among experimental groups. Heat stress triggered the degradation of testis tissue in all experimental groups. The testicular degeneration process was characterized by tubular atrophy, reduction in germ epithelium height, germ cell vacuolization and necrosis, Sertoli cell vacuolization, germ cell scaling of the tubular fire, and increased intertubular space. The three different cactus forages used in this study had different weaknesses regarding their antioxidant defenses, hormonal levels, and histopathology. However, it is important to highlight that the IPA group had lower qualitative changes in the intertubular areas than the other experimental groups. The testosterone level increased in MEE (<i>Opuntia stricta</i>) and IPA groups, while T3 and T4 increased in <i>SMALL</i> (<i>Opuntia cochenillifera</i>) and IPA groups. The malondialdehyde, an important marker of lipid peroxidation, was reduced only in the IPA group. The testosterone level increased in MEE and IPA groups, while T3 and T4 increased in SMALL and IPA groups. In conclusion, heat stress triggers several histopathologies in testis tissue, and IPA cactus (<i>Nopalea cochenillifera</i>) was the most appropriate supplementation for reducing the damages, compared with an elephant grass hay diet or small cactus forage and Mexican elephant ear supplementation.https://www.mdpi.com/2306-7381/12/5/492testosteronethermotoleranceantioxidant activityreproductive performance |
| spellingShingle | Giselle Woolley Cardoso da Silva Fernanda Carolina Ribeiro Dias Marli do Carmo Cupertino Alluanan Adelson do Nascimento Silva Ângela Maria Vieira Batista Emanuel Felipe de Oliveira Filho Francisco Fernando Ramos de Carvalho Ana Lúcia Figueiredo Porto Valdemiro Amaro da Silva Júnior Activity of Different Types of Cactus Forage on Testicular Function and Morphology of Sheep Subjected to Environmental Heat Stress Veterinary Sciences testosterone thermotolerance antioxidant activity reproductive performance |
| title | Activity of Different Types of Cactus Forage on Testicular Function and Morphology of Sheep Subjected to Environmental Heat Stress |
| title_full | Activity of Different Types of Cactus Forage on Testicular Function and Morphology of Sheep Subjected to Environmental Heat Stress |
| title_fullStr | Activity of Different Types of Cactus Forage on Testicular Function and Morphology of Sheep Subjected to Environmental Heat Stress |
| title_full_unstemmed | Activity of Different Types of Cactus Forage on Testicular Function and Morphology of Sheep Subjected to Environmental Heat Stress |
| title_short | Activity of Different Types of Cactus Forage on Testicular Function and Morphology of Sheep Subjected to Environmental Heat Stress |
| title_sort | activity of different types of cactus forage on testicular function and morphology of sheep subjected to environmental heat stress |
| topic | testosterone thermotolerance antioxidant activity reproductive performance |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2306-7381/12/5/492 |
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