Influence Of Forage Legumes (Centrosema Pubescens, Calopogonium Phaseloides) On The Semen Characteristics And Testicular Dimensions Of The Rabbit:- Odimba, Nneoma E.

ABSTRACT

 A study on the influence of forage legume on the reproductive characteristics of the male rabbit was carried out on twelve mixed bred rabbits aged 8 to 12 months, placed on diets containing grass-legume forage and concentr ate (Control) and legume forage and concentrate (Experimental treatment). The sperm concentration of 193.89±22.57 x 106/ml recorded for control was significantly lower (P<0.05) than 297.22±36.89 x 106/ml obtained for the experiment. The semen volume, sperm motility, live-dead ratio and reaction time were not significantly different (P>0.05) but the sperm motility and ratio of live/dead sperm were numerically higher for the trial group. Right epididymal length were significantly (P<0.05) longer in the treatment group (1.70±0.00cm) than the control group (1.25±0.05cm), while other testicular dimensions were not significantly (P>0.05) different. However, numerical values in the treatment group were higher than in the control group with respect to reproductive tract weight (14.45±1.55g) and (11.55±1.15g) and paired testis weight (4.58±0.23g) and (3.48±0.48g) respectively. This result indicates that feeding of these forage legumes to mature rabbit bucks increases their sperm concentration, sperm motility and percent live/dead ratio of sperm cells which are indices of potential fertility of any male animal.