Enhancing semen quality, antioxidant status and sex hormones of V-line rabbit bucks fed on supplemented diets with dried moringa leaves

Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate the impact of dried moringa leaves (DML) on semen quality, immunoglobulin measurements, blood metabolic analysis, antioxidant status and sex hormones of V-line rabbit bucks. Twenty-four mature rabbit bucks of 7-8 months-old of proven fertility with an average weight (2.8 ± 0.4 kg) were classified into four treatments (basal diet with 0, 750, 1500 and 3000 mg DML/kg diet) and 6 bucks per treatment were used. Seminal plasma cholesterol (p = 0.013) and triglycerides (p = 0.0001) of all moringa supplemented rabbits were higher than the control. Moringa leaves enhanced (p < 0.05) serum testosterone, follicle stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone. Total antioxidant capacity, superoxide oxidase, glutathione peroxidase and catalase in seminal plasma of moringa rabbits were higher (p < 0.05) than the control. Serum total lipid (p = 0.002), cholesterol (p = 0.008), triglycerides (p = 0.019) and blood urea (p < 0.05) were lower in DML rabbits. Moringa leaves improved total antioxidant capacity (p = 0.0001), glutathione peroxidase (p = 0.0001) and superoxide oxidase (p = 0.037) in rabbits versus control. Rabbits consuming DML had higher (p < 0.05) immunoglobulin IgG and IgM than control. Results suggest that DML improved rabbits’ antioxidant, and immunological status, semen quality, and sex hormones, but DML (750 mg/kg diet) is recommended because it was more effective than the other two high doses.