134 Late-Breaking: Seminal total phenolic and antioxidant status, semen evaluation and quality parameters of the New Zealand white rabbit bucks in response to increased levels of dietary Hibiscus cannabinus L. Leaf meal.

Abstract Rabbits are efficient producers among farm animals due to their prolific reproductive performance. However, the reproductive performance has lately been invaded by oxidative stress caused excessive generation of reactive oxygen species, which is known to impact male fertility through decreasing the semen health and quality. This can be treated using natural antioxidant-rich foods obtained from medicinal plants such as Hibiscus cannabinus L. (kenaf). The current study sought to assess the effects of kenaf leaf meal (KLM) on the seminal total phenolic and antioxidant status, semen assessment, and quality parameters in New Zealand white rabbit (NZWR) bucks. A total of sixteen NZWR bucks aged fourteen weeks were employed in the 70-day experimental trial. The rabbit bucks were randomly assigned to four treatment diets diluted at 0 (KLM0%), 2.5 (KLM2.5%), 5 (KLM5%), and 7.5 (KLM7.5%), weighing an average initial weight of 2.3 ± 0.47 kg. Increased KLM levels had a substantial effect on seminal total phenolic (TPC) and antioxidant content (TAC), as well as semen volume (SV), with no effect on semen pH, sperm concentration, and semen colour. The rabbit buck’s seminal health and SV improved in response to KLM levels of 0% and 7.5%, respectively. The incremental levels of KLM substantially affected sperm morphology and viability, as there were more viable sperm cells in rabbits reared on KLM5% and KLM7.5%. Similarly, as KLM levels increased, so did the number of sperm cells with twisted tails and loose heads. The incremental amounts of KLM substantially affected sperm motility but not sperm velocity. Total motility (TM%) and progressive motility (PM%) were enhanced at KLM0% and KLM7.5%, respectively, whereas non-progressive motility (NPM%) increased at KLM2.5% and KLM5%. As a result, it is determined that KLM can be used as a rabbit feed supplement rich in primary and secondary metabolites without affecting rabbit reproductive health and fertility.