SEMEN INDICES AND SEMINAL ZINC CONCENTRATION OF MALE RABBITS FED DIETS SUPPLEMENTED WITH ZINC

Abstract

An experiment was carried out to assess the effect of dietary levels of zinc on semen indices and seminal zinc concentration of rabbit bucks. Twenty male rabbits aged 6 months old were randomly allocated to four groups and fed diets containing 0, 50, 100 and 150 mg of zinc gluconate per kg diet respectively for eight (8) weeks with five bucks per group. Semen was collected from the bucks weekly using an artificial vagina. Samples of fresh semen were assessed for semen volume (ml), spermatozoa motility (%) and sperm concentration (x108/ml). The number of spermatozoa per ejaculate (x108) was also calculated. Seminal plasma was separated from the semen by centrifugation and seminal zinc concentration was determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Data obtained were subjected to statistical analysis. The result
showed that all semen parameters assessed were not significantly influenced by zinc levels fed to the bucks. Seminal zinc concentration was higher in bucks administered dietary zinc levels (Z50, Z100 and Z150) compared to those on the control (Z0). Bucks fed 100mg/kg diet had the highest seminal zinc concentration while the least was recorded in bucks on the control. It was concluded that dietary level of zinc gluconate as observed in this study may not enhance semen quality of rabbit bucks. However, supplemental levels of zinc gluconate may result in increased seminal zinc concentration in rabbit bucks .