Physiological Body Reactions and Semen Characters of Rabbit Bucks as Affected by Breed and Vitamin C Supplementation under Egyptian Summer Conditions | ||||
| Journal of Animal, Poultry & Fish Production | ||||
| Article 3, Volume 4, Issue 1, December 2015, Page 17-23 PDF (896.63 K) | ||||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||||
| DOI: 10.21608/japfp.2015.7425 | ||||
 View on SCiNiTO | ||||
| Authors | ||||
| Khalil A1; W. Kishik1; Rabaa Tharwat1; M. Yaseen* 1; M. Ayoub2 | ||||
| 1Animal Production Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt | ||||
| 2Animal Production Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egyp | ||||
| Abstract | ||||
| This experiment was carried out at the rabbitry of the Experimental Farm, Faculty of Agriculture, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt. Twenty four adult rabbit males were used in this study (12 New Zealand White (NZW) and 12 Californian (Cal) rabbit bucks) to study the effect of Vit C ingestion (20 mg/kg body weight/ day for 45 days) on alleviating the effects of high housing temperature and improving semen quality parameters and some physiological traits of rabbit bucks during summer season. Generally, summer heat adversely affected the physiological performance of the two rabbit breed bucks. However, most of the studied traits were differed (P≤0.05) due to the breed effect. Cal breed had lower (P≤0.05) rectal temperature (RT), and higher (P≤0.05) WBCs values than NZW. Thus, Cal breed had lower (P≤0.05) reaction time and semen pH values than in NZW breed. Moreover, Cal breed had higher (P≤0.05) ejaculate volume, percentage of live sperm and sperm output than NZW breed. Irrespective of breed of rabbits, ingestion of Vit C improved (P≤0.05) most studied traits under summer conditions. Addition of Vit C decreased (P≤0.05) RT, respiration rate (RR) and pulse rate (PR) and increased (P≤0.05) values of Hb value, Ht % and WBCs counts compared to the control group during summer period. Furthermore, addition of Vit C decreased (P≤0.05) reaction time and semen pH and increased (P≤0.05) ejaculate volume (with and without gel) and % of forward motility of spermatozoa compared to the control group. Increased (P≤0.05) percentage of live sperm, sperm concentration and sperm output and decreased (P≤0.05) percentage of sperm acrosome alteration and sperm abnormalities was observed in Vit. C treated group compared to the control group. In conclusion this study sugessted that the Cal breed was more heat tolerant and adapted to heat stress than NZW breed under Egyptian summer condition. Also, the addition of Vit C to drinking water alleviated the stressful effects of high temperature on semen characteristics and physiological traits in rabbit bucks during summer season. | ||||
| Keywords | ||||
| rabbit bucks; heat stress; physiology; semen quality; Vit C | ||||
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