NISHANT KUMARMANISHA YADAV2024-08-212024-08-212023https://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810213475An imbalance between heat production in the body and its dissipation is called as state of heat stress. When environmental temperature is high, it challenges the animal’s capacity to maintain energy, thermal, water, hormonal and mineral balance ultimately resulting in heat stress. Since bull fertility is considered to be adversely affected by hot humid condition, the current increase in global temperature as a result of climate change may have profound implications for future livestock production. Any strategy which could reduce the adverse effect of heat stress on bull fertility would be a welcome innovation. The present study was conducted with objectives (i) to study the effect of dietary curcumin supplementation on seminal and biochemical attributes in crossbred bulls and (ii) to evaluate the effect of dietary curcumin supplementation on physiological and sexual behavior of crossbred bulls. Heat stress was induced by placing the animals in psychrometric chamber. Both control and supplemented group were exposed to a temperature and relative humidity 37±20C and 50% respectively for 8 hours (9 AM to 5 PM) per day for 15 days. Pre and post heat exposure semen samples were evaluated during the experiment. The results indicated that the ejaculate volume was not significantly altered by induced heat stress. Sperm concentration, mass activity, motility, viability, plasma membrane integrity and sperm morphology at fresh and post thaw stage were significantly (P<0.05) altered by heat stress. However, these adverse effects were significantly (P<0.05) reduced in Curcumin supplemented groups. There was also a significant (P<0.05) difference in respiratory rate, rectal temperature and skin surface temperature between control and supplemented groups. There were significant (P<0.05) difference in the serum cortisol and testosterone concentration in both groups. Heat stress deteriorates semen quality from 2nd week and recovery occurs after 5th-6th week in supplementedgroup and after 8th week in control group and alters some of the physiological parameters. It can be concluded that supplementation with Curcumin have been found to ameliorate adverse effects of heat stress in cross bred bulls. The nutritional supplements like curcumin to ameliorate the adverse effects of heat stress in animals could be a beneficial and novel strategy particularly for animals during heat stress.EnglishThesis