EFFECTS OF SUPPLEMENTAL FEEDING WITH SOME MEDICINAL PLANTS ON SEMEN CHARACTERISTICS, BLOOD METABOLITES AND HISTOLOGY OF SELECTED ORGANS OF NEW ZELAND MALE RABBITS IN NORTH SINAI

Abstract

Twenty five New Zealand White (NZW) rabbit bucks, (aged 9 months and weighed 3.28± 0.1kg) were divided randomly into five comparable groups (5 each).Rabbits in the 1st group were fed pelleted control dietwithout medicinal plants (CO), while those in the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th groups were fed ­the pelleted diet containing 3% rosemary (RS), 3% marjoram (MR), 1.5% ginger root (ZR) and 2.5% mixture (MX) of these medicinal plants, respectively. Results showed that rabbit bucks of the ZR group had lower (P<0.05) blood glucose level compared with the control, but did not differ significantly from the other treatments. Serum total protein increased (P<0.05) in RS, MR and MX when compared with control group, but ZR did not differ significantly from the control. Mean concentrations of serum albumin (AL) and AL/GL ratio did not differ significantly due to treatments. Rabbit fed diets containing rosemary, marjoram, ginger or their mixture showed lower (P<0.05) concentrations of plasma triglycerides than those fed the control diet. Rabbit fed ZR and MX had the lowest (P<0.05) level of cholesterol concentration, compared with for CO, RS and MR groups. Serum testosterone levels were significantly (P≤0.05) higher in rabbit bucks of ZR and MX groups compared with CO, RS and MR, respectively.Semen Ejaculate volume was significantly higher in MR, ZR and MX groups compared with the control but RS group did not differ significantly from the control. Means of mass motility were higher (P≤0.05) in treatment groups of RS, ZR and MX than the control but MR group did not differ from the control. The effect of dietary treatment on sperm cell concentration was significant. The ZR group had the highest mean followed by MX, RS, CO and MR groups. The histological examination of testicular sections showed that the elongated spermatids were more apparent in the ZR group and Leyding cells were well-developed in the MX group. The histological examination of liver sections showed marked increase in the size and number of bile ducts and many bi-nucleated hepatocytes and sinusoidal dilatation appeared in RS group. MR group showed an increase in the number of bile ducts, mononuclear phagocytic cells and sinusoid dilatation was observed. ZR group showed a lymphocytic infiltration was surrounding the bile duct and increase in the number of Kupffer cells. In MX group no magnificent changes were observed except that dilatation of the bile duct also no change in the sinusoidal size was observed. The histological examination of kidney sections of different experimental groups showed a congestion of some blood vessels in the MR, ZR and MX groups. Conclusively, the medicinal plants, Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), Marjoram (Origanum majorana), Ginger root (Zingiber officinale) and their mixture could be added to NZW rabbit diets within the limits recorded in this study to improve semen characteristics and reproductive performance of NZW rabbit bucks without any detrimental effects on their health.