[Effect of selenium and DL-methionine on the zinc and tocopherol content of the seminal fluid in rams].

The zinc content in spermatozoa and the tocopherol content in the total semen of rams were determined following the incubation of semen in the course of one hour at 37 degrees C, adding no selenium and methionine. Zinc was evaluated by means of AAS1, and tocopherol was measured spectrophotometrically. It was found that both selenium ions and methionine produced a varying effect on the zinc transport and the tocopherol content. The loss of zinc in spermatozoa increased with the rise of selenium level up to certain values, after which the effect of selenium dropped. Zinc was lost also under the effect of methionine, however, higher levels of methionine did not lead to the further loss of zinc. The incubated samples of semen with the addition of selenium and methionine contained higher amounts of tocopherol as against the control samples.