Effect of arak (Salvadora persica) aqueous extract on rabbit semen preservation, microbial contamination and artificial insemination [electronic resource].

Includes references.

Thirty-six sexually mature Baladi Black (BB) rabbit bucks (12 months old) were used in 3 experiments. In experiment 1, semen was collected artificially, pooled and diluted with sodium chloride diluent. Aqueous extracts of Arak (Salvadora Persica) were added to the diluted semen at levels 0, 50, 100, or 150 μl/ ml, then the diluted semen was stored at refrigeration temperature (4 - 6 oC) for up to 3 days or incubated at 37 oC for up to 4 hours. Percentages of sperm motility; alive and normal spermatozoa and acrosomal damages were recorded at the different stages of the preservation. Experiment 2 was designed to evaluate the effect of Arak aqueous extract on semen contamination with some bacteria present in diluted rabbit semen. In experiment 3, rabbit does were artificially inseminated using either the diluted semen free or supplemented with 100 μl Arak extract/ 1 ml diluted semen (the level which showed the best effects on semen quality in experiment 1) to estimate the fertility traits. It was shown that supplementing Arak extract to the diluted rabbit semen significantly (P ≤ 0.05) improved the sperm motility, viability and the percentages of alive spermatozoa, while acrosomal damage percentages were significantly (P ≤ 0.05) decreased, during storage at refrigeration temperature (4 - 6 oC) for up to 3 days or incubation at 37 oC for up to 4 hours. Semen quality and storage ability were arranged discendingly as obtained by supplemented diluted semen with 150, 100, 50 μl Arak extract/ ml than control. Semen quality decreased significantly (P ≤ 0.05) with progression of time at different preservation temperatures. Aqueous extracts of Arak at 150 and 100 μl/ ml showed a better inhibitory effect on the microbial count compared with 50 and 0 μl Arak/ ml diluted semen. Kindling rate and litter size and weight at birth values were significantly (P ≤ 0.05) better in rabbit does inseminated artificially by using diluted semen supplemented with 100 μl/ ml aqueous extracts of Arak than those inseminated using extended semen without free- Arak extract. Generally, the results showed that, rabbit semen quality during preservation at different temperatures and fertility traits of rabbit does inseminated artificially could be improved by adding 100 μl aqueous extracts of Arak / 1 ml diluted semen.

Summary in Arabic.

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