Seasonal variation in libido and semen characteristics of Sinai gabali rabbits

الملخص EN

Fourteen bucks from Sinai Gabali rabbits were evaluated in a project of synthesizing new rabbit line.

Reaction time (RT), ejaculate volume (V), individual motility % (IM), live spermatozoa % (LSP), and sperm abnormalities % for total, primary and secondary abnormalities (PRIM, SEC and TAB) and sperm cell concentration were evaluated in various months around the year under the Egyptian conditions.

The results showed that the highest value of RT was observed in July (9.2 sec.), while the lowest value was obtained in January (5.9 sec.).

Ejaculate volume was the highest in April (8.0 mL), while the lowest was obtained in May (5.0 mL).

The highest values for live sperm in semen ejaculate(LSP) were observed in January (74.6 %), but the lowest ones were observed in June (68.9 %).

The highest values for IM were recorded in January (59.5%), while the lowest ones were obtained in July (55.2 %).

The highest value for semen concentration (× 106) was in February (478 × 106), while the lowest on was in July (378 × 106).

The lowest values PRIM, SEC and TAB were found in January (16.5, 17.7 and 4.5 %, respectively), while the highest ones were observed in July (21.6 and 9.6 %) for TAB and PRIM, respectively and in June (6.7 %) for SEC.

The effects of month on RT, IM, LSP, PRIM, SEC, TAB and sperm cell concentration were highly significant (P < 0.001).

While a non-significant effects in various months were observed on V.

It could be concluded that, the Sina Gabali rabbits have good reproductive performance traits during month of winter season conditions of Egypt.