Effect of seasonal variation on haematology and serum biochemical parameters of West African Dwarf sheep reared semi-intensively

Fri, 04 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

This study investigated the effect of season on the haematological and biochemical parameters of 100 (50 male and 50 female) apparently healthy growing West African Dwarf (WAD) sheep with an average weight of 12.25kg reared semi intensively. Blood samples were collected fortnightly throughout the 9-months experimental period. Haematological and biochemical parameters in blood were measured and analyzed separately for both seasons. Means of parameters measured between the male and female sheep for both seasons were compared using one way analysis of variance. The results showed that all haematological and biochemical parameters measured did not differ significantly during the dry season. However, in the rainy season, mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and the mean corpuscular haemoglobin were significantly (p<0.05) different, with rams having a higher value than females. All parameters measured however, were within the normal range for WAD sheep. It can be concluded that within the seasons, sexual differences did not influence serum chemistry and the health status of WAD sheep.

Physicochemical Assessment of Two Plant-Derived Rabbit Semen Extenders (Apple and Orange) Compared to an Inorganic Buffer

Alaba, O. , Araloyin, J. O. — Thu, 10 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Semen analysis is vital for evaluating male reproductive status, especially in artificial insemination and fertility management of farm animals. In this study, semen quality collected from twelve New Zealand rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) was assessed using three treatments: Treatment one was (semen with 100% tris-egg yolk), which served as the control; treatment two was (semen with 50% tris-egg yolk extender + 50% apple juice), and treatment three was (semen with 50% tris-egg yolk extender + 50% orange juice). Key parameters measured included spermatozoa, progressive motility, Average Path Velocity (APV), Curvilinear Velocity (VCL), Straight-line Velocity (VSL), linearity, livability, straightness, and Amplitude of Lateral Head (ALH). Results showed significant differences (p<0.05) at a 1:1 dilution ratio. The orange juice extender yielded the highest values for motility (92.67%), progressive motility (78.67%), and livability (93.92%), which was better the control tris-egg yolk extender, which had lower values (66.00, 48.33 and 92.41% respectively). However, increasing the dilution ratio to 1:2 caused a decline in semen quality across all parameters. Motility and progressive motility dropped to 76.67% and 66.33% with the orange juice extender, and even lower with the tris-egg yolk extender (48.00 and 35.50%). In conclusion, incorporating apple and orange juices into semen extender can enhance spermatozoa motility and overall semen quality in rabbits. Nonetheless, optimizing the dilution ratio is crucial to avoid quality reduction. These findings offer valuable insights for improving male fertility, reproductive efficiency, and productivity in rabbit farming and animal production.

Tropical Animal Production Investigations

Effect of seasonal variation on haematology and serum biochemical parameters of West African Dwarf sheep reared semi-intensively

Physicochemical Assessment of Two Plant-Derived Rabbit Semen Extenders (Apple and Orange) Compared to an Inorganic Buffer