Testicular Morphometry and Sperm Quality of Rabbit Bucks Fed Graded Levels of<i> Moringa oleifera</i> Leaf Meal (MOLM).

Abstract

In developing nations, Moringa oleifera leaves are used for their nutritional and medicinal values and are rich in minerals and vitamins. Twenty rabbit bucks of mixed breeds, aged four to five weeks which weighed between 627.4g to 631.5g were used to evaluate the effect of Moringa oleifera leaf meal (MOLM) on testicular morphometry and sperm quality. Five bucks were randomly assigned to each of the four diets containing MOLM at 0%. 5%, 10% and 15% levels of inclusion. After eight weeks of ad libitum feeding, the bucks were sacrificed and evaluated for testicular morphometry and epididymal sperm characteristics. No significant effect (p > 0.05) of diets was observed on all the parameters studied. The results show that MOLM had no adverse effect on the testicular morphometry and epididymal sperm quality of rabbit bucks at inclusion level of up to 15%. It is suggested that Moringa oleifera leaves could be used in rabbit diets.

Keywords: Moringa oleifera, rabbit, sperm quality and testicular morphometry.