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Abstract The present work was carried out at Intensive Rabbit Production Unit, belonging to Consulting and Research Center, Faculty of Agriculture, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt and a Private Rabbit Farm, Sharqia, Egypt. A total number of 24 mature New-Zealand White (NZW) rabbit bucks (aged 6 months) were used in the present study. The work was designed to study the effect of some Enzymes and Medicinal Plants on Fertility in NZW rabbits used in the present study. Animals within each breed were divided into four comparable experimental groups. The main objective of this experiment was to study the effect of ZAD and/ or Arak on fertility in NZW rabbits. The animals were fed a commercial basal diet as ZAD, Arak, ZAD with Arak and control. The experimental period lasted 7 weeks. physical semen characteristics, semen quality, testosterone and blood serum constitutes and enzymes were recorded. Each of abortion, conception and litter size represented and pre weaning mortality of NZW rabbits, were evaluated. Results obtained can be summarized as follows: 1. Live body weight and total gain: Live body weight and total gain for NZW rabbit bucks supplemented with ZAD with Arak were significantly (P≤0.05) higher than the other groups. Means of total body gain for NZW rabbit males fed on ZAD with Arak were (189 g) followed by ZAD group (147 g), Arak (135 g) and control group (128 g), respectively. 2. Libido (Sexual desire): Sexual desire (sec.) for NZW rabbit bucks supplemented with ZAD and/ or Arak were significantly (P≤0.05) higher than control. Reaction time (sec) was 42.23, 26.72, 31.30 and 25.04 for G1, G2, G3 and G4 respectively. 57 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION Samar R. Farouk, (2017). M.Sc., Fac. Agric., Ain Shams Univ. 3. Mass motility (score): The highest score of mass motility was in rabbit bucks supplemented with ZAD with Arak and being 3.78. while mass motility in G1, G2 and G3 were 2.44, 3.60 and 3.33 respectively. 4. Advanced sperm motility (%): Advanced sperm motility for NZW rabbit bucks after feeding on Arak and/ or Sea Algae were significantly (P≤0.05) higher than control. The mean values of advanced motility were 71.11, 79.23, 71.21 and 91.86 for G1, G2, G3 and G4 respectively. 5. Dead and abnormal spermatozoa (%): Dead and abnormal spermatozoa (%) were decreased by adding ZAD and/ or Arak. The decrease in dead and abnormal spermatozoa in the treated groups could be attributed to the antioxidant activity of Arak due to flavonoids, which can protect the plasma membrane that surrounds the acrosome and the tail. Accordingly, it seems that Arak may display an indirect role on rabbit spermatogenesis. 6. Semen volume, sperm-cell concentration and total-sperm output: Semen volume, sperm-cell concentration and total-sperm output were increased in the treated groups as compared to the control group (G1). Total sperm output was 270.8, 474.7, 398.1 and 502.6 for G1, G2, G3 and G4 respectively. 7- Testosterone concentration The values of plasma testosterone concentration was (6.63, 6.44 and 6.11 ng/ ml) recorded by NZW rabbits supplemented with G4, G2 and G3 respectively and were significantly (P ≤ 0.05) higher than control (4.55 ng/ ml). 58 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION Samar R. Farouk, (2017). M.Sc., Fac. Agric., Ain Shams Univ. 8- Spermatozoa enzymatic activity: The values of AST and ALT levels recorded by New-Zealand White (NZW) rabbits supplemented with ZAD and Arak were significantly (P ≤ 0.05) higher than control. AST and ALT levels were increased in supplemented ZAD with Arak (23.46, 15.73) respectively. 9- Fertility traits of NZW rabbit does inseminated artificially: 9.1. Conception rate: The highest percentage of conception rate was obtained in does inseminated with (G2, G3 and G4) (90%, 70% and 50%) respectively, while the value for does inseminated with control group was 40%. 9.2. Litter size at birth: does inseminated artificially with semen of treated groups recorded significantly (P≤0.05) better values for number of pregnant does, abortion rate, conception rate, kindling rate, litter size at birth than those of the control group. In the same time, those inseminated with control had significantly (p<0.05) the lowest value. It could be concluded that, rabbit reproductive performance, blood plasma concentrations of testosterone and cholesterol, semen characteristics and fertility of male NZW rabbits were improved by supplementing ZAD and/ or Arak to diets and the better results were obtained in the 4th group which received combined treatment of ZAD and Arak. On the other hand, there were harmful effects of ZAD with Arak on liver function. However, in the current study no mortality was observed in the ZAD and/ or Arak treated rabbits. Treatment with Arak may enhance and promote the physiological effects of ZAD on body growth and reproductive performance in rabbit bucks. |