Parameters of semen quality in some indigenous and foreign rabbit breeds under the environmental conditions in el-Fayoum

Abstract EN

This study was carried out to evaluate the semen quality of three breeds of rabbits (New Zealand White (NZW), Calilfornian (Cal) and Senawy (Sen).

A total number of twelve bucks (4 / breed) was used.

One hundred and twenty ejaculates were collected from all bucks (40 / breed) during a period of ten weeks by means of an artificial vagina.

Reaction time, physical and biochemical semen characteristics during the experimental were studied.

The results showed that, reaction time in NZW was faster than that of Cal and Sen.

Regarding the physical characteristics ; they were higher in NZW rabbits compared with Cal and / or Sen rabbits.

Nevertheless, semen pH was higher in Cal rabbits.

On the other hand, sperm concentration / ml and live sperm (%) of Sen rabbits were higher than both of NZW and Cal rabbits.

The effect of breed on semen characters was highly significant at p < 0.01.

The different pictures of sperm abnormalities as affected by breed were highly significant at p < 0.01.

Total sperm abnormalities were higher in Cal rabbits than in both of Sen and in NZW rabbits.

It was interesting to note from this study that all the semen biochemical characters were higher in Sen When compared with NZW and / or Cal rabbits.