Warning: ini_set(): A session is active. You cannot change the session module's ini settings at this time in /home/njaporg/public_html/lib/pkp/classes/session/SessionManager.inc.php on line 69

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/njaporg/public_html/lib/pkp/classes/session/SessionManager.inc.php:69) in /home/njaporg/public_html/plugins/generic/citationStyleLanguage/CitationStyleLanguagePlugin.inc.php on line 478

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/njaporg/public_html/lib/pkp/classes/session/SessionManager.inc.php:69) in /home/njaporg/public_html/plugins/generic/citationStyleLanguage/CitationStyleLanguagePlugin.inc.php on line 479
TY - JOUR AU - Solomon, I. P. AU - Istifanus, E. F. AU - Tom, E. E. AU - Ebe, I. A. PY - 2025/03/20 Y2 - 2026/09/26 TI - REPRODUCTIVE HORMONES AND SEMEN CHARACTERISTICS OF RABBIT BUCKS FED DIETS CONTAINING SUPPLEMENTAL LEVELS OF DRIED DATES (Phoenix dactylifera L.) FRUITS MEAL JF - Nigerian Journal of Animal Production JA - NJAP VL - IS - SE - Articles DO - 10.51791/njap.vi.8708 UR - https://mail.njap.org.ng/index.php/njap/article/view/8708 SP - 374 - 377 AB - <p><em>This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of dried dates fruits meal on the reproductive hormones and semen </em><em>qualities in rabbit bucks. A total of thirty-six (36) rabbit bucks were used for the study. The bucks were randomly </em><em>assigned to the four (4) treatment groups in a completely randomized design, and replicated three time, with three </em><em>rabbits per replicate in a 24- week study. Four experimental diets were formulated to contain dietary supplemental </em><em>levels of dried dates fruits meal (DDFM) at 0.00, 0.50, 1.00, and 1.50% respectively, and coded as T1, T2, T3, </em><em>and T4. Semen collection was done at the end of the feeding period, using a specially designed artificial vagina </em><em>for rabbits. Blood samples were also collected through the external ear vein into non-heparinized bottle for </em><em>hormonal evaluation. The experimental data were subjected to one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) procedure </em><em>using IBM Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 21. The results revealed significant variations </em><em>(p&lt;0.05) in the reproductive hormones evaluated. Dried dates fruits significantly influenced all semen parameters </em><em>evaluated except, sperm motility. Rabbit bucks in T2, T3 and T4 had higher similar sperm concentration values of </em><em>86.67, 92.00, and 92.33 x 10</em><em>6 </em><em>/ml, respectively, then those of bucks in T1 with mean value of 77.00 x 10</em><em>6 </em><em>/ml, which </em><em>was statistically similar to T2. In conclusion, dates fruits meal can be included at 1.00% to improve reproductive </em><em>hormones and semen characteristics for improved fertility in rabbit bucks.</em></p> ER -