YUCCA SCHIDIGERA AND ITS EFFECT ON RABBIT REPRODUCTION

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Yucca schidigera plant on rabbit reproduction parameters. Six weeks old New Zealand White rabbit females (n=36) and males (n=20) were used in the experiment. Animals in the control groups (C does; n=12 and C bucks; n=7) were fed with commercially available diet and the diet in the experimental groups was enriched with 5g/100kg (E1 does; n=12 and E1 bucks; n=7) or 20 g/100kg (E2 does; n=12 and E2 bucks; n=6) of Yucca schidigera powder extract. The rabbits were fed for 280 days and weighed weekly. The highest semen concentration was in the second experimental group E2 (3.80±0.57 x 109/ml) compared to control group C (2.84±0.33 x 109/ml) and experimental group E1 (1.9±0.35 x 109/ml). Semen motility (E2- 85.55±6.19 %; E1- 85.28±2.27% ) and progressive motility (E2; 73.45±9.63 %; E1; 71.16±3.43%) were higher in the experimental groups compared to the control groups (motility -78.69±5.17 %; progressive motility - 61.34±6.69 %).
The highest conception and kindling rate was found out in the control group C (83 % and 83 %, respectively), slightly lower values were reported in the both experimental groups E1 and E2 (for conception rate - 63% and 63%, respectively; and for kindling rate - 63% and 63%, respectively). Evaluation of the number of liveborn young rabbits showed, in the experimental group 2 the number of liveborn young rabbits (9.43±1.65) was higher than in the control (C; 8.0±0.97) and the experimental group 1 (6.0±1).