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| Articles
by
C.S. Ebere |
Total Records (
1 ) for
C.S. Ebere |
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Audifax N. Iwu
,
C.S. Ebere
,
I.P. Ogbuewu
,
I.F. Etuk
,
M.N. Opara
,
M.C. Uchegbu
,
I.C. Okoli
,
F.C. Iheukwumere
and
U. Herbert
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Forty eight crossbred male and female rabbits aged 12-14 weeks were used to
study the effects of supplementing Coconut Shell Ash (CSA) on reproductive organ
characteristics and serum sex hormone concentrations of growing rabbits. The
rabbits were divided into 24 males and females, respectively. Each group was
divided into four experimental treatments T1, T2, T3
and T4 of six animals and was further replicated three times with
two animals per replicate in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD). The animals
were fed a commercial grower rabbit ration which was supplemented with CSA at
the rate of 0, 1, 2 and 3 g kg-1 b.wt., respectively. At the end
of 12 weeks feeding, three rabbits were selected from each group, slaughtered
and used to determine reproductive organ characteristics. Blood samples from
the slaughtered animals were collected from the jugular vein and assayed for
serum reproductive hormones concentrations. Data collected were subjected to
analysis of variance. Testicular morphometry result showed that 1 to 2 g kg-1
b.wt. CSA supplementation could improve the weight of testis, size and epididymal
weights indicating that up to 2 g kg-1 b.wt. CSA supplementation
supported superior testicular development. This was associated with increasing
serum testosterone concentration indicating probably a CSA enhancement of metabolic
activity. One gram kg-1 b.wt. was the optimal CSA supplementation
rate in female rabbits, since this led to improved weight of whole reproductive
tract, weight of ovary, oviduct and uterus. This was equally associated with
increased estrogen concentration, which increased with increasing CSA supplementation. |
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