ABSTRACT

 Twelve sexually matured chinchilla rabbits bucks were used to evaluate the effect of feeding Monodora myristica (African Nutmeg) on their sexual behavior and semen quality. The African Nutmeg seeds were milled and incorporated into the diet of the rabbit bucks at different levels (0%, 5% and l 0%) and semen samples were collected and analyzed. Result obtained shows that the treatments were significantly different (P<0.05) from each other for. al] the parameters of interest. The semen volume intended to increase with increase in level of African Nutmeg in the diet; w_ith T2 having Lhe highcsl value of 1.00ml and T, has the lowest value of 0. 70 ml. the hmgc of values obtained for motility, sperm concentration, life sperm proportion and the normal sperm proportion fall within the range in the literature. There was a reduction in the reaction time between T, (35.50sec), T; (9.49 sec) and T, having the lowest (8.15 sec), thus, justifying African nutmeg as exhibiting aphrodisiac properties. There was also a reduction in number of mounts between T,(4 times) and the once in T; and T; which resulted to the Libido scores as T, (2.40, low), T± (4.10, very high) ·and the T3 (3.35, moderates). It is concluded that, African nutmeg improves the reproductive performance of rabbit bucks and should be included at 5% of the dietary dry matter> from each other for. al] the parameters of interest. The semen volume intended to increase with increase in level of African Nutmeg in the diet; w_ith T2 having Lhe highcsl value of 1.00ml and T, has the lowest value of 0. 70 ml. the hmgc of values obtained for motility, sperm concentration, life sperm proportion and the normal sperm proportion fall within the range in the literature. There was a reduction in the reaction time between T, (35.50sec), T; (9.49 sec) and T, having the lowest (8.15 sec), thus, justifying African nutmeg as exhibiting aphrodisiac properties. There was also a reduction in number of mounts between T,(4 times) and the once in T; and T; which resulted to the Libido scores as T, (2.40, low), T± (4.10, very high) ·and the T3 (3.35, moderates). It is concluded that, African nutmeg improves the reproductive performance of rabbit bucks and should be included at 5% of the dietary dry matter