Environmental Heat Stress Decreases Sperm Motility by Disrupting the Diurnal Rhythms of Rumen Microbes and Metabolites in Hu Rams.

ABSTRACT: Heat stress (HS) has become a common stressor, owing to the increasing frequency of extreme high-temperature weather triggered by global warming, which has seriously affected the reproductive capacity of important livestock such as sheep. However, little is known about whether HS reduces sperm motility by inducing circadian rhythm disorders in rumen microorganisms and metabolites in sheep. In this study, the year-round reproduction of two-year-old Hu rams was selected, and the samples were collected in May and July 2022 at average environmental temperatures between 18.71 °C and 33.58 °C, respectively. The experiment revealed that the mean temperature-humidity index was 86.34 in July, indicating that Hu rams suffered from HS. Our research revealed that HS significantly decreased sperm motil

SUBMITTER: Wang QJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11508439 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature