Influence of doe exposure on the spermiogram of rabbit bucks

Abstract

The spermiogram of rabbit bucks exposed to rabbit does was evaluated. Seventy five mature rabbits comprising of 50 nulliparous does, 6-7 months old and 25 bucks, 8-10 months old, mixed breeds (New Zealand white, Carlifonia white, Chinchilla and Grey) were used for this study. The animals were allocated to five treatment groups in a completely randomised design (CRD). Each treatment consisted of 10 nulliparous does and five bucks. The does were placed in cages opposite the bucks separated by a distance of 2.5 cm at a ratio of 2 does: 1 buck. The treatment effect consisted of exposing the does to the bucks’ pheromonal cues at different durations (days) to synchronize the does prior to mating. Treatment 1 served as the control group, the does in this group recieved instant mating without buck exposure. In Treatment 2, the rabbit does were exposed to the bucks for seven days and then mated. Treatment 3 had does and bucks which were mated after 14 days of exposure. Treatment 4 were exposed for 21 days and mated thereafter, while Treatment 5 had rabbit does and bucks which were mated after 28 days of exposure. Semen was collected from the bucks on weekly basis for evaluation. The result showed that there were significant (P<0.05) differences in reaction time, sperm motility, percentage live sperm, percentage dead sperm and percentage coiled tails in the bucks’s semen exposed to the does from the control, indicating a positive influence of the doe exposure on the spermiogramic characteristics of rabbit bucks. Hence, this study suggests that exposing rabbit does to bucks prior to mating improves the reproductive performance of the bucks.

Keywords: Bucks, Does, Exposure, Mating, Rabbits