Effect of Antioxidant Lycopene in Tomato Fruit (Lycopersicum esculentum) on Spermatozoa

Sperm quality in Bali cattle (Bos sondaicus) is significantly influenced by a complex interaction between internal factors (genetics and physiology) and external factors (environment and management). Genetically, the reproductive efficiency of B. sondaicus can vary between individuals, while physiological factors include age, health status, and nutritional conditions, which significantly determine the energy sufficiency required for spermatogenesis. Environmental factors, particularly heat stress due to tropical climates, are a major constraint that can reduce sperm motility and membrane integrity due to uncontrolled increases in testicular temperature. Furthermore, husbandry management, including irregular semen collection frequency, microbial contamination, and micronutrient deficiencies (such as zinc and selenium) in feed, play a crucial role in determining the volume, concentration, and viability of sperm produced. This study aims to determine the antioxidant effect of tomato fruit lycopene (Lycopersicum esculentum) on spermatozoa. This study used semen from a 3.5-year-old B. sondaicus collected using an artificial vagina. The experimental design used was a completely randomized design with three factors: semen layer variation, tomato lycopene concentration (0%–20%), and storage time (1–6 days). Sixty treatment combinations were replicated six times, resulting in a total of 360 experimental units. The results of the analysis of variance showed that the addition of the antioxidant lycopene from tomatoes and separation using the swim-up method had no significant effect (P>0.05) on spermatozoa normality and abnormalities. The addition of the antioxidant lycopene from tomatoes and separation using the swim-up method did not increase spermatozoa abnormalities, but did not have a negative effect on B. sondaicus spermatozoa.