SEMEN CHARACTERISTICS AND HAEMATOLOGY OF NIGERIAN LIGHT ECOTYPE CHICKEN FED DIETARY INCLUSIONS OF ETHIOPIAN PEPPER (Xylopia aethiopica) FRUIT MEAL

Abstract

A 56 days study was done to evaluate the effect of Ethiopian pepper fruit meal (EPFM) on the semen quality and haematology of Nigerian indigenous local cocks. Thirty mature cocks were obtained and randomly assigned to five groups of six cocks each in a completely randomized design (CRD). Each treatment was replicated three times with two cocks per replicate. Birds in treatments 1,2,3,4 and 5 (T1, T2, T3, T4, and T5 respectively) were fed basal diets containing EPFM at 0,2,4,6 and 8g/kg diet respectively. Standard management practices were observed throughout the experimental period. Semen was collected after two weeks of treatment at intervals of four days for a period of six weeks. At the 8th week of the study, blood samples were also collected for haematology analysis. Data collected. were subjected to analysis of variance. Results showed that the physical semen characteristics: semen volume, sperm concentration, sperm motility, percentage live and normal sperm cells and sperm count were significantly (P<0.05) affected by the treatment. The semen quality characteristics were observed to improve (P<0.05) up to 4g of EPFM (T3) compared to the control. At and above 6g/kg diet, EPFM was observe to significantly reduce (P<0.05) the semen quality. Total sperm per ejaculate for cocks in T₁, T₂, T₃, T₄ and T₅ were 1.28, 1.61, 1.44, 0.87 and 0.73 respectively. The result of the haematological parameters showed no significant (P>0.05) difference among the different treatment groups in the PCV, RBC, WBC, HB, neutrophils, and lymphocyte. It was concluded that EPFM could be used to improve semen quality of cocks up to 4g/kg diet without detrimental effects.