1 The effect of dietary n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids supplementation of rams on semen 2 quality and subsequent quality of liquid stored semen 3 4 S. Faira*, D.N Doylebc, M.G. Diskinc, A.A Hennessyd, D.A. Kennye 5 6 aDepartment of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Limerick, b 7 Ireland School of Agriculture, Food Science and Veterinary Medicine, College of Life 8 Sciences, University College Dublin, Ireland. cAnimal Production Research Centre, Teagasc, 9 Athenry, Co Galway, Ireland. dTeagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. 10 Cork, Ireland, eAnimal and Bioscience Research Department, Teagasc, Grange, Co Meath, 11 Ireland 12 13 *Corresponding Author: 14 Dr Sean Fair, Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University 15 of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland. Tel: + 353 61 202548, Fax: + 353 61 331490, E-mail 16
[email protected] 17 18 Abstract: 19 The objective of this study was to examine the effect of dietary n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid 20 (n-3 PUFA) supplementation of rams on semen quality and subsequent sperm function of 21 liquid stored semen. Mature rams of proven fertility were individually housed and were 22 blocked by breed, bodyweight and body condition score and randomly allocated within block 23 to one of two dietary treatments (n=7/treatment). Rams were offered a base diet of hay and 24 concentrate, with the concentrate enriched with either (i) saturated palmitic acid (control; 25 CON) or (ii) high n-3 PUFA fish oil (FO) supplements. Both lipid supplements were added at 1 26 2% (w/w) of the total diet as fed and both were partially rumen protected.