COMPARATIVE ASSESSMENT OF SEMINAL ATTRIBUTES IN THE FULANI AND YORUBA ROOSTERS SUBJECTED TO VARYING LEVELS AND DURATION OF QUANTITATIVE FEEDING

Abstract

Maintaining superior seminal traits with prudent feeding is significant for sustainable food supply from indigenous poultry; hence, this study assessed the effects of duration and levels of quantitative feeding on seminal attributes of Fulani and Yoruba roosters. The study randomly assigned 36 roosters (18 each of Fulani and Yoruba ecotypes) to three equal groups labelled ad-libitum feeding, 85% ad-libitum, and 70% ad-libitum, receiving 125.00, 106.25, and 87.50 g of feed per bird, respectively. Each group was duplicated thrice to host two roosters per replicate in a completely randomized design. Roosters were fed ad-libitum for 14 days prior to test feeding for 56 days. Semen collections and analysis were performed per replicate in every two fortnights of test feeding. One-way analysis of variance of the experimental data indicated that seminal volumes and concentration, alongside motility and liveability of the constituent spermatozoa were significantly affected (p < 0.05) by test feeding, though Yoruba roosters on ad-libitum feeding for 56 days had best values that differed significantly (p < 0.05) among the experimental groups. The study concluded that restricting Yoruba roosters to 85% ad-libitum (106.25 g of feed per bird) for 28 days, or to ad-libitum feeding (125.00 g of feed per bird) for 56 days promote seminal attributes in the birds for efficient breeding.