Staining sample slides during a collection day
Author: Zoe Turner | Major: Animal Science | Semester: Spring 2025 |
Hello! My name is Zoe Turner and I am a senior animal science major. Since the Spring 2023 semester, I have been honored and delighted to work alongside my mentor, Dr. Brittni Littlejohn, who serves as an assistant professor in the Department of Animal Science and the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture at the University of Arkansas– Fayetteville. I was awarded a Student Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) grant for the Spring 2025 and Fall 2025 semesters for my research on the influence of gossypol from cottonseed oil on semen quality in domestic boars as a model for feral hog control. Feral swine are an invasive species found in the United States that cause billions of dollars annually in estimated damages to property and livestock. Gossypol is a naturally occurring polyphenolic compound found in the cottonseed plant and is associated with decreased fertility in various species. In males, gossypol has been associated with decreased sperm motility and concentration. In this project, I aimed to observe if any significant changes in the sperm quality, weight, libido, and health of boars occurred when fed diets supplemented with varying concentrations of gossypol-containing cottonseed oil.
A collection of eighteen sexually mature boars was stratified into four different treatment groups based on body weight. The four groups were supplemented with cottonseed oil containing varying concentrations of gossypol. The boars were fed these diets for a 42-day treatment period, which was followed by a 70-day recovery period in which they all received a diet without cottonseed oil. During both periods, semen samples were collected and analyzed every two weeks. The percentage of motile and progressively motile sperm cells, concentration of sperm cells per mL of semen, semen weight, semen volume, and boar body weight were some of the numerous variables assessed after each collection day. We are currently in the data analysis phase of the project, but we are seeing exciting preliminary results that support the potential use of gossypol-containing cottonseed oil to inhibit reproductive function in boars.
Many of my days during my research trial began with me rolling out of bed, feet thudding against my carpeted floor as my phone sang the ever-familiar tune of my morning alarm. I peered into the darkness outside my window, yearning for five more minutes of sleep, but the boars didn’t wait. Those early mornings were brutal at first, especially for a night owl like me, but I came to love the glow of dawn and the quiet drive through the forests and farmland. As a biosecurity measure, each morning we had to stop by a building to change out of our shoes into rubber boots and shimmy into dark blue jumpsuits that were specifically designated for the pig barns. I must admit— I felt silly traipsing around in my “boar uniform” the first time, but as I adjusted to my team and my routine, I came to embrace, and even oddly become attached to, the outfit and the work it signified. It wasn’t always easy. In fact, it rarely felt easy. We battled hot and cold days working outside, long collection days (many times requiring twelve hours or more), occasionally broken equipment, and other complications. We even battled flat tires, as our car got a flat tire when traveling to the physiology farm to check on oil pressing on a particularly busy day during the trial and I changed a tire for the first time in my life. These challenges shaped me into a more resilient, adaptable, and diligent student and researcher. I also got a little life wisdom out of it, too—I’ll never worry about a flat tire again.
Dr. Littlejohn posed a question to me at the beginning of my research journey: “How much involvement do you want?” I answered that I wanted to do anything and everything I could on this project. I wanted to know the project inside and out. With her and the entire research team’s support, I was able to accomplish exactly that. I was a part of almost every piece of the project, from weighing and labeling feed or pressing cottonseed in the oil press at the physiology farm to mixing and distributing feed and assisting with collection procedures at the boar unit to counting sperm cells and preparing samples in the labs. I asked questions and soaked up knowledge like a sponge throughout the entire process. All my gained experience and knowledge is credited to the wonderful people I worked with¬: Dr. Littlejohn, Jordan, Carson, TC, Dr. Powell, Rachel, Maddie, and the staff and faculty in the animal science department, Honors College, and research farm. One of the biggest reasons I chose the University of Arkansas, specifically the Bumpers Honors College program, was my desire for a tight-knit, supportive community to rely on and be a part of during my undergraduate education. My research experience has provided me with community and personal relationships beyond what I ever hoped for.
This July, I will be presenting my findings at the American Society of Animal Science –Canadian Society of Animal Science Joint Annual Meeting. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to share my findings with other academics in the field I love and to grow my confidence as both a public speaker and researcher. I have also begun applying to veterinary schools. My dream for several years has been to attend veterinary school and obtain my Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree. Thanks to my mentor Dr. Littlejohn, I have also found a passion for teaching and research. I hope to combine these passions and utilize my skills as a veterinarian to contribute to research projects and teach at a university in the future.