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The evaluation of breeding and fertility potential of animals demands understanding of basic morphometric characteristics of their reproductive organs which, among other factors, may be affected by nutrition. This study was conducted to assess the effects of feeding graded levels of watermelon rind and wheat offal as absorbent on morphometric characteristics of the reproductive organs of Hyla rabbits. Forty-five Hyla rabbits of both sexes (15 bucks and 30 does) with nine animals per treatment (3 bucks and 6 does in each treatment) in a completely randomized design were randomly assigned to the dietary treatment containing 0 %, 10 %, 20 %, 30 %, and 40 % of watermelon rind and wheat offal. The data collected included weight and length of the reproductive tract of the rabbits. The morphometric characteristics of reproductive tract of the rabbits were not significantly affected by the dietary treatment, however, there were significant effect (p > 0.05) of the dietary treatment on the weight of the left oviduct, paired oviduct, and the paired ovary of the rabbits. The experimental diets significantly affected (p < 0.05) penis length and width, the right spermatic cord and the length of the right scrotal. The diets had no significant effect (p<0.05) on the weight of reproductive tracts of buck except on the paired spermatic cord. The experimental diets can be a good alternative for the highly competitive and costly grains in the diet of Hyla rabbits without any adverse effect on the growth of reproductive organs and consequently on the fertility and other activities related to reproduction of Hyla rabbits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study was designed to evaluate the effect of Moringa oleifera, Phyllanthus amarus and Viscum album leaf meal as herbal inclusions to alleviate the detrimental outcomes of heat stress in weaned female rabbits. Forty (40) weaned rabbit does (527.99 ± 10.35 g; 28 days old) were randomly allotted to four dietary groups consisting of Diet 1(control diet; without leaf meal), Diets 2 (supplemented with 10% V. album); 3 (supplemented with 10% M. oleifera) and 4 (supplemented with 10% P. amarus) in an 84 days trial at the peak of heat stress in Southwest Nigeria. At the end of the trial, blood samples were collected to assess physiological responses and oxidative status of the rabbit does. The results obtained revealed that rabbit does were exposed to heat stress; rabbit does fed control diet had higher leucocyte and neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio compared to rabbit does fed on herbal inclusions. The herbal inclusions enhanced oxidative stability of rabbit does by lowering lipid peroxidation and enhancing antioxidant activities during heat stress conditions. Rabbit does fed control‐based diet had significantly higher heat shock protein 70, leptin and adiponectin compared to rabbit does on M. oleifera, P. amarus and V. album supplemented diets. The herbal inclusions tend to suppress proinflammatory cytokines in rabbit does during heat stress condition. In conclusion, the herbal inclusions suppress inflammation, adipokines and promotes oxidative stability of rabbit does exposed to heat stress conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]