Reproductive characteristics of adult rabbit bucks fed diets containing <i>Dialium guineense</i> leaf meal

Abstract

The utilization of leaf meals in diets of livestock species is not only explored for use in replacing expensive feed materials, but also for some other potential benefits which include reproductive performance. This study evaluated the effect of Dialium guineense leaf meal on semen parameters and libido of adult New Zealand White (NZW) rabbit bucks. The experiment lasted for 28 days and was carried out in Completely Randomized Design (CRD). It was made up of three treatment diets T1, T2 and T3, containing 0.0, 30.0 and 60.0 % inclusion levels of Dialium guineense leaf meal, respectively. The result of the experiment recorded significantly (p<0.05) higher total spermatozoa count per ejaculate, spermatozoa concentration, reaction time and libido score in T2 rabbits than in T1 rabbits, while percentage motile spermatozoa, active motile spermatozoa and abnormal spermatozoa were significantly (p<0.05) higher in T1 rabbits than in T2 rabbits. Data were not collected from rabbit bucks on T3 because they were not sexually responsive. This experiment demonstrates that Dialium guineense leaf meal may be included in diets of breeder rabbit bucks at 30% level for enhanced total spermatozoa count per ejaculate, spermatozoa concentration, libido score and reduction in percentage abnormal spermatozoa.

Keywords: Semen; Spermatozoa; Libido score; Reaction time; Reproduction.