Evaluación de la calidad seminal de conejos alimentados con dietas que contienen diferentes niveles de inclusión de semillas de linaza (Linum usitatissimum)

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum) on the physical and morphological quality of fresh and refrigerated rabbit semen. Twenty New Zealand males were used, and distributed in four groups according to the level of inclusion of flaxseed in the total diet for 100 days: 0 %, 3 %, 6 %, and 9 %. Fifteen days after starting the supply of the diet, seminal collections were made once a week with an artificial vagina and a female as a dummy. For the physical and morphological evaluations, the semen was diluted in Tris-Egg Yolk medium and cooling at 5 °C; progressive sperm motility, and spermatic vigor and morphology were assessed at 0, 2, 12, 24, 48, and 72 post-cooling hours. This information was analyzed through analyses of variance and regression at 5 % significance. For the morphology, volume, color, and seminal appearance of fresh semen (p > 0.05), there was no difference. For volume, turbidity, motility, vigor, and concentration, average values of 0.92 ± 0.24 mL; 0.86 ± 0.35; 76.58 ± 7.13 %; 3.37 ± 0.28, and 205.75 ± 20.77 x 106 sptz were recorded, respectively. There were differences for motility and vigor at 0, 2, 12, 24, 48, and 72 post-cooling hours (p > 0.005). In conclusion, the inclusion of up to 9 % flaxseed in the rabbit diet did not alter the physical and microscopic parameters evaluated in this study in fresh and refrigerated rabbit semen.