REPRODUCTIVE HORMONES AND SEMEN CHARACTERISTICS OF RABBIT BUCKS FED DIETS CONTAINING SUPPLEMENTAL LEVELS OF DRIED DATES (Phoenix dactylifera L.) FRUITS MEAL

Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of dried dates fruits meal on the reproductive hormones and semen qualities in rabbit bucks. A total of thirty-six (36) rabbit bucks were used for the study. The bucks were randomly assigned to the four (4) treatment groups in a completely randomized design, and replicated three time, with three rabbits per replicate in a 24- week study. Four experimental diets were formulated to contain dietary supplemental levels of dried dates fruits meal (DDFM) at 0.00, 0.50, 1.00, and 1.50% respectively, and coded as T1, T2, T3, and T4. Semen collection was done at the end of the feeding period, using a specially designed artificial vagina for rabbits. Blood samples were also collected through the external ear vein into non-heparinized bottle for hormonal evaluation. The experimental data were subjected to one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) procedure using IBM Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 21. The results revealed significant variations (p<0.05) in the reproductive hormones evaluated. Dried dates fruits significantly influenced all semen parameters evaluated except, sperm motility. Rabbit bucks in T2, T3 and T4 had higher similar sperm concentration values of 86.67, 92.00, and 92.33 x 106 /ml, respectively, then those of bucks in T1 with mean value of 77.00 x 106 /ml, which was statistically similar to T2. In conclusion, dates fruits meal can be included at 1.00% to improve reproductive hormones and semen characteristics for improved fertility in rabbit bucks.