Background: Some antimicrobials could adversely affect sperm quality during sperm cryopreservation and antibiotic treatment with subsequent effects on fertility outputs. To our knowledge, no similar studies have been conducted on breeding roosters, especially for oxytetracycline (OTC).
Objective: To investigate both in vitro and in vivo impact of oxytetracycline on sperm parameters in breeding roosters.
Methods: Sperm motility parameters were objectively analyzed using the CASA system including total motility (TM %), progressive motility (PM %), all sperm velocities, the sperm count, and cell viability during 9 days of in vivo treatment. In the in vitro investigation, the pooled sperm was diluted and divided into a control aliquot (diluted in 0.9% NaCl) and treated samples. Motility parameters were assessed after 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 hours of storage at 37ºC. In the in vivo study, 1 g per L of OTC was administrated to five individuals for nine consecutive days. Fresh semen samples were analyzed at T0 (before treatment) and after 6 (T6) and 9 days (T9) of treatment.
Results: OTC caused significant impairment of sperm quality in vivo. A drastic reduction in sperm concentration, viability, TM, PM, and all kinematic parameters was observed after 6 days of treatment. However, at day 9 sperm quality had improved to be nearly similar to T0. In vitro, OTC induced similar sperm impairment on all sperm motility parameters.
Conclusion: Oxytetracycline exhibited negative effects on rooster sperm both in vivo and in vitro and appears consequently not suitable in cryopreservation extenders. Doi.org/10.54680/fr23510110412.