Effect of extenders supplemented with varying levels of royal jelly on caprine semen quality at different chilling storage times: Royal jelly effects on caprine semen during chilled storage

Wilsa Gly  Mojuwil; Nur Hafizah Syafiah Abdullah; Nur Syafeezah Janong; Mohammad Mijanur Rahman; Rovina Kobun; Renny Fatmyah Utamy

doi:10.51200/jsffs.v2i1.7399

Authors

Wilsa Gly Mojuwil Livestock Production Programme, Faculty of Sustainable Agriculture, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, 90503 Sandakan, Malaysia.
Nur Hafizah Syafiah Abdullah Livestock Production Programme, Faculty of Sustainable Agriculture, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, 90503 Sandakan, Malaysia.
Nur Syafeezah Janong Livestock Production Programme, Faculty of Sustainable Agriculture, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, 90503 Sandakan, Malaysia.
Mohammad Mijanur Rahman Livestock Production Programme, Faculty of Sustainable Agriculture, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, 90503 Sandakan, Malaysia.
Rovina Kobun Livestock Production Programme, Faculty of Sustainable Agriculture, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, 90503 Sandakan, Malaysia.
Renny Fatmyah Utamy Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Animal Science, Hasanuddin University, Jl. Perintis Kemerdekaan KM. 10, Makassar 90245, South Sulawesi, Indonesia.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51200/jsffs.v2i1.7399

Keywords:

caprine semen, chilled storage, royal jelly, semen extender, sperm motility

Abstract

This study investigated the impact of royal jelly (RJ) supplementation on the quality of caprine semen during chilled storage. Twelve semen samples were collected from three mature bucks and divided into four treatment groups. Each group was diluted using a tris–citric acid–fructose–egg yolk (TCFY) extender supplemented with different concentrations of RJ (0%, 0.05%, 0.10%, and 0.15%). Semen quality parameters, including total motility, progressive motility, viability, morphology, sperm concentration, semen volume, and pH, were evaluated at 0, 24, and 48 hours of storage at 4 °C. The results demonstrated that RJ supplementation influenced semen quality in a concentration-dependent manner. Low to moderate concentrations of RJ (0.05% and 0.10%) showed a partial protective effect by maintaining higher sperm membrane viability at extended storage (48 h) compared to the highest concentration, but did not consistently improve motility parameters. In contrast, the highest concentration (0.15%) resulted in a significant reduction (p < 0.05) in sperm motility and viability, particularly after 48 hours of storage. Sperm morphology was generally unaffected by RJ supplementation, while semen volume remained stable and pH showed a slight decline with increased storage duration. Overall, RJ did not improve total or progressive motility compared to the T0, but exhibited limited concentration-dependent effects on sperm viability. These findings indicate that RJ supplementation cannot be considered a general enhancer of caprine semen quality during chilled storage, as its effects vary depending on concentration and parameter measured. Therefore, its application as a semen extender additive requires careful optimisation, particularly to avoid potential inhibitory effects at higher concentrations. Further studies are recommended to evaluate its effects on fertilisation success and reproductive performance under field conditions.

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