Influence of vitamin E and carcass feeding supplementation on fecal glucocorticoid and androgen metabolites in male black-footed ferrets (Mustela nigripes).
In recent years, the ex situ population of the endangered black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes; ferret) has experienced a decline in normal sperm morphology (from 50% to 20%), which may be linked to inbreeding depression and/or a dietary change. We examined the effects of adding carcass and vitamin...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2020-01-01
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| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0241085 |
| _version_ | 1819025852727296000 |
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| author | Rachel M Santymire Shana R Lavin Heather Branvold-Faber Julie Kreeger Judy Che-Castaldo Michelle Rafacz Paul Marinari |
| author_facet | Rachel M Santymire Shana R Lavin Heather Branvold-Faber Julie Kreeger Judy Che-Castaldo Michelle Rafacz Paul Marinari |
| author_sort | Rachel M Santymire |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In recent years, the ex situ population of the endangered black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes; ferret) has experienced a decline in normal sperm morphology (from 50% to 20%), which may be linked to inbreeding depression and/or a dietary change. We examined the effects of adding carcass and vitamin E to the diet on stress and reproductive biomarkers in male ferrets (n = 42 males including 16 juveniles and 26 adults) housed at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife National Black-footed Ferret Conservation Center (Carr, CO, USA). Fecal samples (3x/week) were collected from November and December (pre-breeding season, no diet change), February through May (breeding season, diet change) and June (post-breeding season, diet change) and analyzed for fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FGM) via a corticosterone enzyme immunoassay (EIA). A subset of samples from adult males (n = 15) were analyzed for fecal androgen metabolites (FAM) via a testosterone EIA. We first used a linear mixed effects model to identify the important fixed effects among meat treatment, vitamin E treatment, age class (juvenile or adult), and all possible interactions on each hormone. We then examined the important factor's effects across seasons using the non-parametric Friedman test. We found that age did not influence (p = 0.33) FGMs; however there was a significant effect of meat treatment on FGM (p = 0.04) and an effect of vitamin E on FAMs (p<0.10). When fed carcass, FGMs declined (p<0.001) from pre- to the during the breeding season time period, but was similar (p>0.05) between during and post-breeding season periods. Males that were not fed carcass had higher (p<0.05) FGMs during the breeding season compared to pre- and post-breeding season and FGMs were lower (p<0.05) in the post-breeding season compared to pre-breeding season. Males fed with carcass had lower (p<0.001) FGM than males that were not fed carcass during both the pre-breeding and the breeding season but not during the post-breeding season (p>0.05). Males supplemented with vitamin E had higher (p<0.001) FAM than non-supplemented males during the breeding season only. For both groups, FAM was highest (p<0.05) during the breeding season. In conclusion, adding carcass to the diet can reduce glucocorticoid production and adding vitamin E can increase testosterone during the breeding season, which may influence reproductive success. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T05:17:16Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-81a690405677486b95f82b8fe67c1d65 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T05:17:16Z |
| publishDate | 2020-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
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| spelling | doaj.art-81a690405677486b95f82b8fe67c1d652022-12-21T19:14:53ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032020-01-011510e024108510.1371/journal.pone.0241085Influence of vitamin E and carcass feeding supplementation on fecal glucocorticoid and androgen metabolites in male black-footed ferrets (Mustela nigripes).Rachel M SantymireShana R LavinHeather Branvold-FaberJulie KreegerJudy Che-CastaldoMichelle RafaczPaul MarinariIn recent years, the ex situ population of the endangered black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes; ferret) has experienced a decline in normal sperm morphology (from 50% to 20%), which may be linked to inbreeding depression and/or a dietary change. We examined the effects of adding carcass and vitamin E to the diet on stress and reproductive biomarkers in male ferrets (n = 42 males including 16 juveniles and 26 adults) housed at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife National Black-footed Ferret Conservation Center (Carr, CO, USA). Fecal samples (3x/week) were collected from November and December (pre-breeding season, no diet change), February through May (breeding season, diet change) and June (post-breeding season, diet change) and analyzed for fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FGM) via a corticosterone enzyme immunoassay (EIA). A subset of samples from adult males (n = 15) were analyzed for fecal androgen metabolites (FAM) via a testosterone EIA. We first used a linear mixed effects model to identify the important fixed effects among meat treatment, vitamin E treatment, age class (juvenile or adult), and all possible interactions on each hormone. We then examined the important factor's effects across seasons using the non-parametric Friedman test. We found that age did not influence (p = 0.33) FGMs; however there was a significant effect of meat treatment on FGM (p = 0.04) and an effect of vitamin E on FAMs (p<0.10). When fed carcass, FGMs declined (p<0.001) from pre- to the during the breeding season time period, but was similar (p>0.05) between during and post-breeding season periods. Males that were not fed carcass had higher (p<0.05) FGMs during the breeding season compared to pre- and post-breeding season and FGMs were lower (p<0.05) in the post-breeding season compared to pre-breeding season. Males fed with carcass had lower (p<0.001) FGM than males that were not fed carcass during both the pre-breeding and the breeding season but not during the post-breeding season (p>0.05). Males supplemented with vitamin E had higher (p<0.001) FAM than non-supplemented males during the breeding season only. For both groups, FAM was highest (p<0.05) during the breeding season. In conclusion, adding carcass to the diet can reduce glucocorticoid production and adding vitamin E can increase testosterone during the breeding season, which may influence reproductive success.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0241085 |
| spellingShingle | Rachel M Santymire Shana R Lavin Heather Branvold-Faber Julie Kreeger Judy Che-Castaldo Michelle Rafacz Paul Marinari Influence of vitamin E and carcass feeding supplementation on fecal glucocorticoid and androgen metabolites in male black-footed ferrets (Mustela nigripes). PLoS ONE |
| title | Influence of vitamin E and carcass feeding supplementation on fecal glucocorticoid and androgen metabolites in male black-footed ferrets (Mustela nigripes). |
| title_full | Influence of vitamin E and carcass feeding supplementation on fecal glucocorticoid and androgen metabolites in male black-footed ferrets (Mustela nigripes). |
| title_fullStr | Influence of vitamin E and carcass feeding supplementation on fecal glucocorticoid and androgen metabolites in male black-footed ferrets (Mustela nigripes). |
| title_full_unstemmed | Influence of vitamin E and carcass feeding supplementation on fecal glucocorticoid and androgen metabolites in male black-footed ferrets (Mustela nigripes). |
| title_short | Influence of vitamin E and carcass feeding supplementation on fecal glucocorticoid and androgen metabolites in male black-footed ferrets (Mustela nigripes). |
| title_sort | influence of vitamin e and carcass feeding supplementation on fecal glucocorticoid and androgen metabolites in male black footed ferrets mustela nigripes |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0241085 |
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