الفهرس 
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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. The present work was designed to investigate the effects of royal jelly (RJ) or/ and bee honey (H) on age of sexual puberty, semen quality and fertility of male New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits. Eighty pre-pubertal male NZW rabbits and 80 hybrid non-parous female rabbits were used in the present study. Male rabbits were randomly divided into 4 groups (20 bucks per group), bucks were administered orally with 0.5 mL of a solution/ kg body weight (BW), 3 times weekly for 6 weeks; which contained:
1) Water for control (1st group).
2) 0.25 mL bee honey + 0.25 mL water (2nd group).
3) 200 mg royal jelly + 0.25 mL water (3rd group).
4) 200 mg royal jelly + 0.25 mL honey + water (4th group).
The experiment was designed to investigate the effects of royal jelly (RJ) or/ and bee honey (H) on:
1: Body weight from the age of 60 up to 179 days old to estimate the weekly absolute body weight and weight gain.
2: Male rabbits sexual behavior as: the age at descending of testes into scrotum, age at the beginning of fighting, age at separation of penis from sheath, and age at first ejaculation.
3: Anatomical measurements of male rabbit reproductive system as: absolute weights of male reproductive system, accessory sexual gland, mean of testes weights, mean of testes index and mean of epididymis weights at ages of 60, 90, 120 and 150 days old. Also, the relative weights of male reproductive system, accessory sexual gland, mean of testes relative weights and mean of epididymis relative weights were calculated.
4: Testis and epididymis histological parameters as: mean diameter of seminiferous tubules, thickness of spermatogenic cell layers, mean diameter of epididymal duct and thickness of epididymal epithelium at ages of 60, 90, 120 and 150 days old. Also, the age of appearance of primary spermatocytes in testis, appearance of secondary spermatocytes in testis, appearance of spermatid in testis, appearance of sperm in testis and epididymis were estimated.
5: Blood plasma concentrations of testosterone at ages of 60, 75, 90, 115, 120, 135 and 150 days old, Also blood plasma concentrations of cholesterol, alanine amino transferase (ALT) and aspartate amino transferase (AST) at ages of 60, 90, 120 and 150 days old were estimated.
6: Evaluation of characteristics of two successive semen ejaculates from the age of 140 up to 196 days old which included reaction time, gel plug presence, semen color, semen density, initial semen pH value, ejaculate volume, sperm mass motility, sperm advanced motility, Motility index (MI), percentage of dead sperm, percentage of sperm abnormalities, sperm cell concentration, total sperm output (TSO), motile sperm concentration (MSC), functional sperm concentration (FSC) and initial fructose concentration.
7: Male rabbits fertility: Semen from each experimental group was pooled together and diluted, then 80 hybrid sexually receptive non-parous females, were inseminated artificially using diluted semen from experimental males (20 females per each experimental group). After 14 days post-insemination, conception rate was determined by trans-abdominal palpation and the litter size for each doe was determined directly after kindling.
The results indicate that:
Absolute body weight of the four experimental groups were 2.59±0.01, 3.10±0.004, 3.15±0.004 and 3.23±0.004 Kg, respectively. The differences between groups were significant (P≤0.05).
Body gain of the four experimental groups were 0.133±0.01, 0.173±0.01, 0.178±0.01 and 0.188±0.01 Kg/week, respectively. The differences between groups were significant (P≤0.05).
Age at descending of testes into scrotum of the four experimental groups were 112.29±1.80, 90.73±1.74, 88.75±1.63 and 86.3±1.63 days, respectively. The differences between groups were significant (P≤0.05).
Age at separation of penis from sheath of the four experimental groups were 117.29±1.82, 97.33±1.76, 93.29±1.65 and 90.71±1.65 days, respectively. The differences between groups were significant (P≤0.05).
Age at separation of penis from sheath of the four experimental groups were 117.29±1.82, 97.33±1.76, 93.29±1.65 and 90.71±1.65 days, respectively. The differences between groups were significant (P≤0.05).
Age at fighting of the four experimental groups were 136.79±1.33, 112.67±1.29, 112.47±1.21 and 98.71±1.21 days, respectively. The differences between groups were significant (P≤0.05).
Age at 1st ejaculation of the four experimental groups were 139.43±1.14, 125.67±1.10, 116.76±1.04 and 109.06±1.04 days, respectively. The differences between groups were significant (P≤0.05).
Male reproductive system weight of the four experimental groups were 8.7± 0.05, 11.2 ± 0.05, 12.9 ± 0.05 and 14.1± 0.05 g, respectively. The differences between groups were significant (P≤0.05).
Relative male reproductive system weight of the four experimental groups were 309.72±5.10, 329.54±5.10, 367.42±5.10 and 391.15±5.10 mg/100g b. w., respectively. The differences between groups were significant (P≤0.05).
Accessory sexual glands weight of the four experimental groups was 1.74±0.09, 2.45±0.9, 2.56±0.09 and 2.57±0.09 g, respectively. The differences between groups were significant (P≤0.05).
Relative accessory sexual glands weight of the four experimental groups was 63.98±2.69, 73.72±2.69, 74.72±2.69 and 73.10±2.69 mg/100g b. w., respectively. The differences between groups were significant (P≤0.05).
Mean testes weight of the four experimental groups was 0.97±0.02, 1.27±0.02, 1.34±0.02 and 1.73±0.02 g, respectively. The differences between groups were significant (P≤0.05).
Mean relative testes weight of the four experimental groups was 33.22±0.61, 36.64±0.61, 37.31±0.61 and 48.30±0.61 mg/100g b. w., respectively. The differences between groups were significant (P≤0.05).
Mean testes index of the four experimental groups was 1.36±0.03, 1.69±0.03, 1.65±0.03 and 2.00±0.03 cm3, respectively. The differences between groups were significant (P≤0.05).
Mean epididymis weight of the four experimental groups was 0.397± 0.01, 0.529± 0.01, 0.566± 0.01 and 0.721± 0.01 g, respectively. The differences between groups were significant (P≤0.05).
Mean relative epididymis weight of the four experimental groups was 14.13±0.25, 15.72±0.25, 16.00±0.25 and 20.36±0.25 mg/100g b. w., respectively. The differences between groups were significant (P≤0.05).
Mean diameter of seminiferous tubules of the four experimental groups was 194.47±4.59, 215.93±4.59, 230.68±4.59 and 277.68±4.59 µm, respectively. The differences between groups were significant (P≤0.05).
Thickness of spermatogenic-cell layers of the four experimental groups was 61.36±2.87, 70.30±2.87, 77.72±2.87 and 97.53±2.87 µm, respectively. The differences between groups were significant (P≤0.05).
Age at primary spermatocytes appearance in ST of the four experimental groups was 100±5.00, 90±5.00, 90±5.00 and 90±5.00 days, respectively. The differences between groups were non-significant (P≥0.05).
Age at secondary spermatocytes appearance in ST of the four experimental groups was 130±7.07, 90±7.07, 100±7.07 and 90±7.07 days, respectively. The differences between groups were significant (P≤0.05).
Age at spermatid appearance in ST of the four experimental groups was 140±8.66, 140±8.66, 120±8.66 and 100±8.66 days, respectively. The differences between groups were significant (P≤0.05).
Age at sperm appearance in ST of the four experimental groups was 150±7.07, 140±7.07, 130±7.07 and 120±7.07 days, respectively. The differences between groups were significant (P≤0.05).
Age at sperm appearance in epididymal duct of the four experimental groups was 150±7.07, 140±7.07, 130±7.07 and 120±7.07 days, respectively. The differences between groups were significant (P≤0.05).
Diameter of epididymal duct of the four experimental groups was 308.13±15.76, 437±15.76, 593.18±15.76 and 560.56±15.76 µm, respectively. The differences between groups were significant (P≤0.05).
Thickness of epididymal epithelium of the four experimental groups was 34.99±2.72, 37.22±2.72, 40.09±2.72 and 46.67±2.72 µm, respectively. The differences between groups were significant (P≤0.05).
Plasma ALT concentration of the four experimental groups was 12.27±0.66, 11.81±0.66, 11.88±0.67 and 12.90±0.66 IU/L, respectively. The differences between groups were non-significant (P≥0.05).
Plasma AST concentration of the four experimental groups was 37.92±1.09, 35.37±1.09, 40.16±1.09 and 38.28±1.09 IU/L, respectively. The differences between groups were significant (P≤0.05).
Plasma cholesterol concentration of the four experimental groups was 39.66±0.83 and 44.67±0.83 and 50.32±0.83 and 65.17±0.83 mg/dL, respectively. The differences between groups were significant (P≤0.05).
Plasma testosterone concentration of the four experimental groups was 1.06±0.03, 1.29±0.03, 1.43±0.03 and 1.56±0.03 ng/mL, respectively. The differences between groups were significant (P≤0.05).
Reaction time of the four experimental groups was 16.77±0.65, 9.10±0.53, 8.89±0.53 and 6.93±0.53 seconds, respectively. The differences between groups were significant (P≤0.05).
Semen color of the four experimental groups was 3±0.01, 3±0.01, 2.96±0.01 and 3±0.01, respectively. The differences between groups were non-significant (P≥0.05).
Semen density of the four experimental groups was 2.8±0.05, 2.91±0.04, 2.83±0.04 and 2.9±0.048, respectively. The differences between groups were significant (P≤0.05).
pH value of the four experimental groups was 6.806±0.02, 6.866±0.02, 6.870±0.02 and 6.850±0.02, respectively. The differences between groups were significant (P≤0.05).
Ejaculate volume of the four experimental groups was 0.22±0.02, 0.47±0.02, 0.48±0.02 and 0.47±0.02 mL, respectively. The differences between groups were significant (P≤0.05).
Mass motility of the four experimental groups was 3.82±0.08, 4.57±0.07, 4.83±0.07 and 4.74±0.07, respectively. The differences between groups were significant (P≤0.05).
Progressive motility of the four experimental groups was 70±1.07, 88±0.87, 91±0.87 and 93±0.87 %, respectively. The differences between groups were significant (P≤0.05).
Motility index (MI) of the four experimental groups was 58.59±1.90, 81.64±1.37, 87.75±1.37 and 88.07±1.37, respectively. The differences between groups were significant (P≤0.05).
Dead spermatozoa percentage of the four experimental groups was 18.85±0.98, 8.11±0.83, 6.26±0.83 and 4.74±0.83 %, respectively. The differences between groups were significant (P≤0.05).
Abnormal spermatozoa percentage of the four experimental groups was 13.69±0.24, 8.17±0.19, 6.56±0.19 and 5.70±0.19 %, respectively. The differences between groups were significant (P≤0.05).
Sperm-cell concentration of the four experimental groups was 226.51±4.39, 273.44±4.39, 340.73±0.01 and 372.41±0.01 ×106/mL, respectively. The differences between groups were significant (P≤0.05).
Total sperm output (TSO) of the four experimental groups was 66.43±8.02, 129.52±6.29, 164.99±6.29 and 176.31±6.29 million/ejaculate, respectively. The differences between groups were significant (P≤0.05).
Motile sperm concentration (MSC) of the four experimental groups was 55.42±8.04, 116.25±5.79, 150.08±5.79 and 163.10±5.79 million/ejaculate, respectively. The differences between groups were significant (P≤0.05).
Functional sperm concentration (FSC) of the four experimental groups was 51.41±8.35, 107.25±5.42, 140.37±5.42 and 153.45±5.42 million/ejaculate, respectively. The differences between groups were significant (P≤0.05).
Seminal fructose concentration of the four experimental groups was 286.12±8.16, 421.57±8.16, 401.39±8.16 and 410.48±8.16 mg/100 mL, respectively. The differences between groups were significant (P≤0.05).
Conception rate of female inseminated artificially with semen of the four experimental groups was 70, 75, 80 and 90 %, respectively. The differences between groups were non-significant (P≤0.05).
Litter size at birth for rabbit does inseminated artificially with semen of the four experimental groups was 4.00±0.20, 5.64±0.20, 6.71±0.20 and 7.00±0.19 kids/doe, respectively. The differences between groups were significant (P≤0.05).
Generally, the better results of the most parameters studied were obtained in the fourth group which received both of royal jelly and bee honey as compared to the other treated groups and control.
The results of the present study concluded that oral administration of royal jelly or/ and bee honey could be used beneficially to have earlier puberty age, improve anatomical measurements of male rabbits reproductive system, testis and epididymis histological parameters, blood plasma concentrations of testosterone and cholesterol, semen quality and fertility of male NZW rabbits. This improvement was also mirrored on better liver functions as observed with normal concentrations of AST and ALT.