Sheep spermatogenesis is affected by the nutritional levels of cocoa meal, a byproduct of cocoa butter manufacturing rich in theobromine and caffeine

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of cocoa meal in feed concentrate on the spermatogenesis in sheep. Twenty-five uncastrated males were divided into four groups and fed concentrated feed, supplemented with 0, 10, 20, and 30% cocoa meal, respectively, for 150 days. At the end of this period, the animals were slaughtered, the testicles were collected for histological slides, and testicular morphometric assessments were conducted, including cell type quantification in the seminiferous epithelium, intrinsic spermatogenesis [...]