Fresh and cryopreserved semen, minerals, hormones and health characteristics in response to reciprocal combinations of vitamin D3 and 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 in the mature and prepubertal Holstein bulls' diet

Abstract The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of supplementation of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25(OH)VD3) instead of vitamin D3 on the quality and seminal plasma antioxidant indicators of fresh and cryopreserved semen, serum minerals, vitamin D3 status, hormone levels, blood biochemistry, antioxidant and immune function in different age of bulls. Thirty-two Holstein bulls (16 bulls aged 24–36 months and weighted 727 ± 99.0 kg; 16 bulls aged 12 months and weighted 332 ± 24.9 kg) randomly assigned to 1 of 4 treatments in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement with 2 sources of vitamin D3 (vitamin D3 or 25(OH)VD3) fed at 300 IU/kg dry matter intake and two different age of bull (maturity or prepuberty) through a 60 day period. Bulls were tied in individual pens without access to sunlight. Bulls fed 25(OH)VD3 had greater semen concentration (P = 0.03), sperms motility (P = 0.02), viability (P