Potential of coconut water to enhance fresh semen quality and fertility in rabbits.

Coconut water as a natural diluent was evaluated on rabbit semen quality, conception and litter size in artificially inseminated does. A total of 10 bucks and 90 does, all crossbred New Zealand White × chinchilla, were used for the trial. Pooled semen was obtained from bucks using artificial vagina. Semen diluents were prepared at 0%, 20%, 40%, 60% and 80% and control 50% normal saline and designated as T1, T2, T3, T4, T5 and T6 respectively, in a completely randomised design. Semen analysis was conducted on fresh semen and the various diluted semen immediately at 37 °C. Fifteen does each were randomly allotted to the different treatment and were inseminated with their respective treatment diluted semen using the standard procedure, and conception rate, litter size and productivity index at birth were assessed at kindling. Result obtained revealed that spermatozoa motility and structural membrane integrity of the diluted semen were significantly (p < 0.05) affected by the percentage of dilution. The range of values obtained for spermatozoa motility, structural membrane integrity and acrosome integrity is within the accepted values for good-quality semen. Conception rate, litter size and productivity index at birth were highest in does inseminate with T4 (60%), and the least values were obtained in T5 (80%). In conclusion, coconut water is a suitable diluent for rabbit semen for on-farm artificial insemination, the optimal dilution rate of coconut water in rabbit semen is 60%, which guarantees high conception, litter size and productivity index at birth.

Oxidative status and spermatozoa kinetics of rooster semen in citrus juice-based diluent.

Poultry spermatozoa are prone to oxidative damage and adversely affect their fertility. Bioactive constituents of citrus fruit confer antioxidant enrichment on its juice and are candidates to combat oxidative load in poultry semen. Computer-assisted semen analyser and oxidative status were used to evaluate the potency of two tropical citrus varieties (sweet orange and tangerine) as natural diluents for rooster semen. Fresh and ripe sweet orange and tangerine fruits were obtained and processed into juices using a standard protocol and included in dextrose saline at 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50% and 60% as semen diluent. Semen pool from 30 breeder roosters of 35-40 weeks of age was allotted randomly in triplicates to the different fruit juice-dextrose at 1:2 dilution rate and evaluated for 5 h at room temperature. Diluted semen, according to treatments, was evaluated for sperm kinetics using a computer-assisted sperm analyser, and seminal plasma was assayed for lipid peroxidation and total antioxidant activity. The result obtained shows that tangerine and sweet orange juice inclusion significantly (p < 0.05) enhance progressive spermatozoa motility and semen kinetics compared favourably with undiluted semen. The diluents had a proportionate increase in antioxidant activity with juice inclusion at 0 h and the antioxidant activity of 40%, 50% and 60% fruit juice-based diluents was higher than undiluted semen at 5 h. There was a reduced lipid peroxidation in juice inclusive diluents and increase lipid peroxidation rate in undiluted semen and 0% juice inclusion. In conclusion, tangerine and sweet orange juice inhibit lipid peroxidation in rooster semen and enhance progressive spermatozoa motility and maintain rooster semen kinetics.

Nutraceutical Effects of Justicia carnea Leaf Powder Supplementations on Performance, Blood Indices, Heat Shock Protein 70, Oxidative Deoxyribonucleic Acid Damage Biomarkers and Intestinal Microbes of Broiler Chickens, Under Tropical Condition.

The main reason preventing broiler chickens from reaching their genetic potential and hurting their performance in the tropics is heat stress. This study aimed to ascertain how Justicia carnea leaf powder (JLP) supplementation affects broiler chickens' performance, blood indices, antioxidant status, and gut microflora in tropical environments. A completely randomized method was used to assign 240 Cobb 500 broiler chicks to the experimental diets (6 replicates per diet, 10 birds per replication). Diet 1 included no supplement (negative control), diet 2 included 200 mg/kg vitamin C (positive control), diet 3 included 2,500 mg/kg JLP, and diet 4 included 5,000 mg/kg JLP. On day 42, the body weight gain (BWG) of the birds fed on diet 4 was significantly higher than those on diet 1. The packed cell volume, red blood cell count, and hemoglobin concentration of the birds fed on diets 3 and 4 were significantly higher than those of the control (P<0.05). The serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and cholesterol were lower in birds fed on diets 3 and 4, compared to those on diet 1 (P<0.05). The serum heat shock protein 70 (HSP 70) and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) were lower in birds fed on diets 3 and 4, compared to those on diet 1 (P<0.05). The lactic acid-producing bacteria (LAB) population was higher in birds fed on diets 3 and 4, compared to those on diet 1(P<0.05). However, the Coliform bacteria population was reduced in birds fed on diets 3 and 4, compared to those on diet 1. The 2,500 and 5,000 mg/kg JLP dietary supplementations enhanced BWG, improved erythrogram indices, and reduced blood AST, ALT, cholesterol, HSP 70, 8-OHdG, and caeca Coliform population but increased the caeca LAB population.

Testicular biochemicals, sperm reserves and daily sperm production of West African dwarf bucks fed varied levels of dietary aflatoxin.

An experiment was conducted with twenty West African dwarf (WAD) bucks (5-6 months old) to assess reproductive potentials of growing WAD bucks to varied dietary aflatoxin of 0 µg/kg, 50 µg/kg, 100 µg/kg and 150 µg/kg containing in diets 1 (control) 2, 3 and 4 respectively, for a period of 12 weeks. At the end of the 12th week, the reproductive tracts of bucks were excised and homogenised in physiological saline for assessment of glucose, total protein and testosterone concentration, gonadal and extra gonadal sperm reserves. Results showed that gonadal and extra-gonadal sperm reserves of goats fed control diet (2.71×10(9) and 3.07×10(9) spermatozoa respectively) were superior (p<0.05) to those fed 50 µg/kg, 100 µg/kg and 15 0µg/kg [(1.59×10(9) and 2.33×10(9)), (1.09×10(9) and 2.45×10(9)) and (1.00×10(9) and 1.41×10(9)) spermatozoa respectively]. Daily sperm production of bucks fed the control diet was significantly (p<0.05) higher (7.60×10(8) spermatozoa/testis) than those fed 50 µg/kg (4.47×10(8)), 100 µg/kg (3.07×10(8)) and 150 µg/kg (2.80×10(8) spermatozoa/testis). Sperm production efficiency also follows the same trend as daily sperm production. Glucose and total protein concentration in the testes declined significantly as the aflatoxin level increases in the diets. Testosterone level was significantly lower in goats fed 100 µg/kg than others. The study suggest that exposure of male goats to dietary aflatoxin up to 50 µg/kg diet will reduced testicular biochemical and testosterone with resultant depression in sperm storage capability and daily sperm production in the animals.