SEMEN CHARACTERISTICS OF KANO BROWN BUCKS FED WHITE ROT FUNGI (Pleurotus ostreatus) BIODEGRADED SUGARCANE SCRAPINGS BASED DIETS

Abstract

The experiment was conducted to study the effect of inclusion of graded levels of white rot fungi (Pleurotus ostreatus) biodegraded sugarcane scrapings (BSS) in the diets of Kano Brown bucks on the semen characteristics in an 84-day experiment. Twenty one healthy male Kano Brown bucks, about 6 – 7 months of age and an average initial body weight (BW) of 6.60 ± 0.71 kg, were stratified based on their BW into three treatment groups of seven goats each in a completely randomized design. Bucks were fed three isonitrogenous diets with inclusion levels of BSS at 0 (T1), 15 (T2) and 30% (T3) to replace corn bran at 0, 50 and 100%. Semen colour, semen pH and sperm progressive motility were not influenced (p>0.05) by treatments. Semen ejaculatory volume was higher (p<0.05) in T1 and T2 than in T3. Semen concentration was affected (p<0.05) by treatments in the rank order: T2 >T3 > T1. BSS can be included up to 30% in the diets of Kano Brown goats without compromising the semen characteristics and reproductive potentials of the goats.