PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS ON THE SEMINAL CHARACTERISTICS OF RABBITS RAISED IN TWO LOCATIONS IN SOUTHEASTERN NIGERIA.

Résumé

A total of sixteen rabbits sourced from two locations in Southeastern Nigeria were used for this study. Semen was collected from all the rabbits twice weekly for eight weeks using an artificial vagina while observation on the effect of time of collection on semen quality were also made. The results obtained indicated that time of collection had no significant effect (P > 0.05) on all the seminal characteristics measured. However, source of the animals showed significant effect (P < 0.05) on semen volume, sperm concentration, total sperm per ejaculate and proportion of abnormal sperm. Average semen volume, sperm concentration and total sperm per ejaculate were: 0.69±0.007 ml, 104.0±1.44 x 10⁶/m1 and 71.40±0.90x10⁶ respectively for the rabbits sourced from Port Harcourt. The corresponding values for rabbits sourced from Owerri were: 0.66±0.008m1, 96.02 ±1.63x10⁶iml and 63.49±1.50 x 10⁶ respectively. Abnormal sperm proportions were 11.05±0.22% and 1216 ± 032% for the rabbits sourced from Port Harcourt and Owerri respectively. There were no significant (P> 0.05) differences observed between locations in live sperm concentration and sperm motility. Live sperm concentration and sperm motility were 87.75±1.09% and 71.62±0.74% for the Port Harcourt group, while the values obtained for the Owerri group were 88.06±034% and 71.19±0.89% respectively.