Seminal plasma contains various metabolites that contribute to sperm function, including energy metabolism, redox homeostasis, and membrane stability. However, information regarding seminal plasma metabolomic profiles associated with sperm motility in tropical indigenous cattle remains limited. This study aimed to characterize the seminal plasma metabolome of Aceh bulls and explore metabolic differences associated with sperm motility. Seminal plasma samples were collected from ten adult Aceh bulls and categorized into high- and low-motility groups based on semen quality evaluation. Metabolomic profiling was performed using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS), followed by multivariate and univariate analyses as well as metabolic pathway enrichment analysis. A total of 63 metabolites were identified, predominantly comprising amino acids, organic acids, carbohydrates, and lipid-related compounds. Principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) indicated differences in metabolomic profiles between the two motility groups, with partial separation observed between groups. Several metabolites, including phenylpyruvic acid, L-alanine, L-valine, L-aspartic acid, L-glutamic acid, glycerol, and D-fructose, contributed to the observed variation between groups. Pathway analysis indicated the involvement of phenylalanine metabolism, phenylalanine–tyrosine–tryptophan biosynthesis, glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, pyruvate metabolism, and galactose metabolism. These pathways may be associated with cellular energy production, mitochondrial activity, and oxidative stress regulation, which are important for sperm function and motility. Overall, the findings indicate differences in seminal plasma metabolite composition between Aceh bulls with contrasting sperm motility levels. Although exploratory in nature and limited by sample size, this study provides preliminary information that may contribute to future investigations on reproductive physiology and semen quality in tropical local cattle.

To Cite This Article: Hafizuddin H, Husnurrizal H, Siregar TN, Gholib G, Sayuti A, Yusmadi Y, Sari MK, Maulana T, Fidriyanto R, Amrullah MF, Baharun A and Abdelbagi MAE, 2026. Metabolomic characterization of seminal plasma associated with sperm motility in indigenous aceh bulls. Pak Vet J, 46(8): 1958-1968. http://dx.doi.org/10.29261/pakvetj/2026.179