ABSTRACT

This research work was conducted to check the impact of Aspilia africana leaves on the reproductive performance of rabbit bucks. A total of twenty seven (27) mixed rabbit breeds averaged 4-5 months was used in a completely randomized design (CRD). Nine rabbits were allocated to each of the three treatments with routine practices and water given ad libitum. Treatment one (T1) is the control group, concentrate without Aspilia africana, treatment two (T2), lOg of Aspi/ia a/Hcana with kg of feed (lOg/kg),while T3is 20g of Aspilia qfricana in one kilogram of feed (20g/kg). The study specifically investigated the impact of this forage (Aspilia af'icana) on the followings; semen characteristics, internal organs, carcass characteristics and testicular morphometry of the bucks. At the end of the fifty six days (56) experiment, semen was collected via artificial vagina (AV) to analyse for the above parameters and the testicle extracted for morphometry. Results showed that Mass motility, total sperm per ejaculate, total viable sperm. percentage of abnormal sperm and percentage of normal sperm were significantly (P<0.05) different across the group. The result of mass motility indicated that rabbit bucks in dietl (80.00%) was significantly (P<O.05) higher than those in diets 2(78.67%) and 3(70.67%) respectively. Similarly, total sperm per ejaculate showed that animals in control group, dieti (57.78%) had the highest mean value when compared to diets 2(55.48%) and 3(39.97%) respectively. Total viable sperm showed that rabbit bucks in the group supplemented with Aspilia Africana had significantly (P<0.05) lower values than others in the group. Percentage abnormal sperm, in diets 1(1.17%), 2(2.18%) and 3(3.10%) increased in that order with diet3, the worst. While the reverse was the case in terms of percentage of normal sperm across the treatment group. Internal organ weight results showed that liver and heart were significantly (P< 0.05) different among other parameters in the group. Liver results of rabbit bucks in diet (45.08g) had significantly (P<0.05) higher mean value than 2(39.54g) and 3(38.47g) which were almost identical. Carcass characteristics data indicated that only the forearm was significantly (P<0.05) different across the group with rabbit bucks in diet (67.47g) and 3(60.88g) having identical mean values but were significantly (P<0.05) higher when compared to diet2 (57.11g). Similarly, testicular morphometry analysis showed that only the scrotal circumference was significantly (P <0.05) different among others in the group. Diets 1(4.57cm) and 2(4.43cm) were identically (p<O.05) higher than those in diet3 (4.00cm) which was the least. These results showed that rabbit bucks in the group (T2 and T3) supplemented with Aspilia Africana were summarily affected in terms of semen characteristics, internal organ weights and testicular morphometry as the inclusion level increases than the control group (Ti) without Aspilia africana. I recommend that Aspilia africana can be used as forage to boast growth as in the case of carcass characteristics but at reduced level when reproduction is the target as it has shown from results of this study to impair reproduction.