Abstract
This experiment was carried out at the rabbitry of the Experimental Farm, Faculty of Agriculture, Suez CanalUniversity, Ismailia, Egypt. Twenty four adult rabbit males were used in this study (12 New Zealand White (NZW) and12 Californian (Cal) rabbit bucks) to study the effect of Vit C ingestion (20 mg/kg body weight/ day for 45 days) onalleviating the effects of high housing temperature and improving semen quality parameters and some physiologicaltraits of rabbit bucks during summer season. Generally, summer heat adversely affected the physiological performanceof the two rabbit breed bucks. However, most of the studied traits were differed (P≤0.05) due to the breed effect. Calbreed had lower (P≤0.05) rectal temperature (RT), and higher (P≤0.05) WBCs values than NZW. Thus, Cal breed hadlower (P≤0.05) reaction time and semen pH values than in NZW breed. Moreover, Cal breed had higher (P≤0.05)ejaculate volume, percentage of live sperm and sperm output than NZW breed. Irrespective of breed of rabbits,ingestion of Vit C improved (P≤0.05) most studied traits under summer conditions. Addition of Vit C decreased(P≤0.05) RT, respiration rate (RR) and pulse rate (PR) and increased (P≤0.05) values of Hb value, Ht % and WBCscounts compared to the control group during summer period. Furthermore, addition of Vit C decreased (P≤0.05)reaction time and semen pH and increased (P≤0.05) ejaculate volume (with and without gel) and % of forward motilityof spermatozoa compared to the control group. Increased (P≤0.05) percentage of live sperm, sperm concentration andsperm output and decreased (P≤0.05) percentage of sperm acrosome alteration and sperm abnormalities was observed inVit. C treated group compared to the control group. In conclusion this study sugessted that the Cal breed was more heattolerant and adapted to heat stress than NZW breed under Egyptian summer condition. Also, the addition of Vit C todrinking water alleviated the stressful effects of high temperature on semen characteristics and physiological traits inrabbit bucks during summer season.
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