EFFECT OF DIETARY SUPPLEMENTATION WITH LETTUCE AND CABBAGE BY- PRODUCTS ON FRESH AND COOLED RABBITS SEMEN.

Peris, Soliman; Reda, Fayez; Ismail, Ismail

doi:10.21608/ejrs.2021.194894

EFFECT OF DIETARY SUPPLEMENTATION WITH LETTUCE AND CABBAGE BY- PRODUCTS ON FRESH AND COOLED RABBITS SEMEN.

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44511, Egypt

² Department of Poultry, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagazig University, Zagazig, 44511, Egypt

10.21608/ejrs.2021.194894

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Using agricultural by-products in livestock feeds can help farmers reduce feed costs and help food waste generators reduce disposal costs while minimizing the environmental problems associated with this waste.Forty-two New Zealand White rabbit bucks aged 8 months were randomly divided into 7 groups. First group served as control group was fed on the basal diet. Second, 3^rd and 4^th groups were fed a basal diet supplemented with 1, 2 and 3 % dried lettuce (LT) by-product. The 5^th, 6^th and 7^th groups were fed the basal diet supplemented with 1, 2 and 3% dried cabbage (CB) by-product. Two experiments were performed. The 1^stexperiment investigated the effect of dietary supplementation with LT and CB on fresh semen quality parameters, including volume, motility %, viability, abnormalities, acrosomal damage, and sperm concentration. The 2^nd experiment examined the effect of LT and CB supplementation as well as the storage time on the previous semen quality parameters of cooled semen during storage at 5^ᴼC up to 72 hours. Enzymes activities of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were measured.
In 1^stexpriment, results showed that sperm concentration increased (P<0.01) in all LT or CB supplemented groups. However, % of dead and abnormal spermatozoa decreased (P<0.05). Ejaculate volume and motility % increased (P<0.05) in 3% LT supplemented group. Experiment 2 showed that motility percentages increased (P<0.01), however,percentages of dead spermatozoa decreased (P<0.01) in bucks supplemented with 1% and 3% LT compared to control. Also, CB supplementation increased (P<0.01) the percentage of motility while decreased (P<0.01) the percentages of dead and acrosomal damage sperm compared to control. Results showed that ALT and AST levels were lower (P<0.01) in all groups supplemented with LT or CB compared to control.
Conclusively, the present results demonstrate that, the highest reproductive performance was achieved when bucks fed diet supplemented with 3% of LT and CB by-products.

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