Semen characteristics of Nigerian roosters fed diets containing <i>Curcuma longa</i> powder

Abstract

Semen quality is critical to avian reproduction and chiefly influenced by feeding. Improving the seminal features of local poultry with dietary technologies is significant to fortifying man’s deficient dietary resource. Hence, this study evaluated the semen quality indices of Nigerian roosters fed grower diets containing different levels of Curcuma longa powder (CLP) in a 70-day feeding trial. The experiment randomly placed test roosters (n = 36) into four distinct groups (T₁-T₄), having replications of 3 birds per replicate in a completely randomized design. The birds were fed ad libitum on grower feeds containing CLP inclusions according to groups, i.e., T₁, T₂, T₃, and T₄ respectively had 0, 20, 35, and 50 g of CLP kg^–1 feed. Routine vaccinations and prophylaxis was duly administered during experimentation. Semen collection and sampling for physical seminal features were conducted and analyzed. The results showed significant (p < 0.05) effects of dietary CLP on sperm concentration (SC), live spermatozoa (LS), and dead spermatozoa (DS) of the test roosters. High SC and LS of roosters fed on CLP diets were significantly different (p < 0.05) from control, just as DS of T₁ was higher (p < 0.05) than CLP groups. Thus, placing Nigerian roosters on diets scented with up to 50 g of Curcuma longa powder per kilogram of feed improved their seminal characteristics.