ABSTRACT: The study was designed to evaluate the effects of crude Allium sativum in diets of rabbit bucks on Semen characteristics. Twenty one (21) 10.0 ± 2.1 months old, 1.80 ± 0.2 kg average body weight rabbit bucks were used for the study. Bucks were randomly divided into 3 groups of 7 bucks each. Group A served as control, group B and C received 2.5% and 5.0% garlic in diets respectively. The bucks were allowed to acclimatise for 49 days during which semen samples were collected to establish a base line data. The feeding period lasted for 63 days during which semen samples were collected weekly between the hours of 8.00-10.00 am using artificial vagina for evaluation. Data collected were expressed as mean ± standard error of mean using graph pad prism version 5.0, repeated measure one way analysis of variance was used to test for differences between groups followed by Turkey's multiple comparism test, values of P 0.05 was considered significant. There were no significant differences in mean semen pH, motility, % live spermatozoa and % abnormal spermatozoa between control (A) and treatment groups (B and C). However, there were significant differences in mean semen volume at week 8 of the study between control and treatment groups. Also the semen concentrations were significantly higher in the treatment groups in a dose-dependent manner from week 3-9 of the study. In conclusion, Allium sativum at 2.5% & 5.0% inclusion rates improved sperm concentration in rabbit bucks.
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