SEMEN CHARACTERISTICS AND TESTICULAR MORPHOMETRY OF RABBIT BUCKS FED DIETARY LEVELS OF THYME (THYMUS VULGARIS)

Abstract

A study was aimed at investigating the semen characteristics and testicular morphometry of rabbit bucks fed dietary levels of thyme (Thymus vulgaris). A total of 20 mature (seven months old) rabbit bucks were used for the study. The rabbit bucks were randomly allotted to four experimental diets (5/each) and fed for 8 weeks. The diet were formulated with the inclusion of thyme at 0, 5, 10 and 15g of thyme/kg of feed for T1, T2, T3, and T4 respectively. The Experiment was arranged in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD). Fresh experimental diets and clean water were made available ad libitium for the bucks throughout the experimental period. The results indicated that dietary inclusion of thyme significantly (P<0.05) affected all semen parameters except semen pH. Semen volume, forward motilty, live sperm (%) and abnormal sperm (%) of bucks in T4 and T3 were significantly (P<0.05) higher than those in other treatment groups. Results of testicular morphometry revealed that dietary inclusion of thyme resulted in a significant (P<0.05) increase in testis weight, testis volume and testis circumference with bucks in T4 and T3 outperforming those in other treatment groups. However, no significant difference (P>0.05) was observed in other testicular morphometric indices studied across the treatment groups. From the result, it was concluded that dietary inclusion of thyme at 10g/kg diet improved the semen characteristics and testicular morphometry of rabbit bucks.