Effects of Onions-Ginger Mix Supplementation on Motility of Local Breeder Cock Spermatozoa

Abstract

A 35 - day trial was conducted to investigate the effect of dietary onion-ginger mix supplementation on motility of Nigerian local breeder cock spermatozoa. Thirty six local breeder cocks were divided into 2 treatment groups (T₁ and T₂) of 18 cocks each, and each group replicated thrice. Birds on T₁ treatment (control group) received basal diet supplemented with 0 g onions and 0 g ginger per 300 g dry matter (DM) feed for 3 weeks while those in group T₂ received basal diet supplemented with 5 g onions and 5 g ginger per 300 g per DM feed in completely randomized design. Semen was collected from the breeder cocks and two aliquots were taken from each ejaculate, one analyzed for sperm motility immediately after collection and the other three hours later. Semen samples for analysis were obtained from two cocks from each replicate and data obtained analyzed statistically. Results revealed that birds on diet T₂ had the highest sperm forward motility compared with birds on diet T₁ (88.75vs.77.50%; p0.5) compared with those on diet T₁. Results of semen analysis after 3 hours of collection showed that sperm forward motility and active motile cells were higher for birds on diet T₂ compared with birds on diet T₁, though the observed difference was not significant (p>0.05). Birds on diet T₂ produced spermatozoa with reduced sluggish motile and non-motile sperm compared with cocks on diet T₁. It can be concluded that supplementation of local breeder cock’s diet with 5 g each of onions and ginger per 300 g DM feed improved sperm forward motility and active motile cells and reduced spermwith non-motile and sluggish cells.