Effect of Dietary Astaxanthin on Boar Sperm Quality and Motility after Liquid Storage during the Summer Season

The objective of this research was to evaluate the effect of an astaxanthin-supplemented commercial swine diet upon semen production and sperm quality during the summer season (June-August). Dietary treatments were a non-supplemented basal diet (n＝3) or the basal diet supplemented with 50-100 g astaxanthin (n＝4). Collected semen was diluted with Modena solution and stored at 15°C. Two months of dietary astaxanthin had no effect on ejaculate volume and sperm concentration, total sperm numbers, and sperm abnormalities or motility prior to storage (P>0.05). After 1, 3, and 5 days of storage, sperm motility was equivalent between dietary treatments. However, sperm motility (after 5 h of incubation) after 7 days of storage was significantly higher (P