Biopotency of Maca (Lepidium meyenii walp) powder additive on reproductive hormones, semen quality and kinetic characteristics of Yankasa rams during dry hot season

Abstract

The study evaluated the biopotency of Lepidium meyenii (Maca) powder supplementation on reproductive hormones, semen quality, and sperm kinetic characteristics of Yankasa rams during the hot-dry season of Sudan Savannah zone Nigeria. Twenty pubertal Yankasa rams of similar age and weight were randomly assigned to four dietary treatments containing 0, 5, 10 and 15g/kg maca powder in a completely randomized design. The experiment lasted four months, during which semen and blood samples were collected for analysis of reproductive hormones (testosterone, follicle-stimulating hormones (FSH) and Luteinizing hormone (LH)), semen characteristics and sperm kinetics. Results revealed significant (P < 0.05) increases in testosterone, FSH and LH concentrations with increasing levels of maca supplementation. Semen quality parameters such as sperm motility, and percentage of normal cells improved (P < 0.05) significantly, while sperm abnormalities and dead sperm cells decreased with higher maca inclusion. Furthermore, sperm kinetic parameters including progressive motility, linearity, and curvilinear velocity were significantly (P < 0.05) enhanced in supplemented groups. However, semen volume, pH, and some velocity parameters showed no significant (P > 0.05) differences. The findings suggest that maca supplementation, particularly at 15 g/kg, effectively enhances reproductive performance of Yankasa rams under heat stress conditions, likely due to its antioxidant and endocrine-modulating properties. It is therefore recommended that maca powder could be included in the diets of livestock from 5g up to 15g/kg diet as it is safe and improves animal reproductive performance through improved semen quality characteristics, semen kinetics and reproductive hormones. Therefore, farmers and livestock nutritionists can utilize it in livestock production as natural feed additives and aphrodisiac and reproductive enhancer without deleterious effect.