The effect of Kapok (Ceiba pentandra) (Linn] [Gaertn] meal on sperm production rate, gonadal and extragonadal sperm reserves in male rabbits

Twenty grower male rabbits of mixed breeds were used to evaluate the effect of Kapok seed meal on sperm production and sperm storage capacity: Five bucks each were randomly assigned to each of four isocaloric and isonitrogenous diets containing decorticated Kapok seed meal at 0), 10, 15 und 20% levels. After 8 weeks of ad libitum feeding, four bucks per treatment were randomly selected from each treatment group, sacrificed and their testes evaluated for sperm production, the efficiency of spermatogenesis and sperm storage capacity. The results did not show any significant differences (P>0.05) between the treatments in Daily sperm production (DSP), Daily sperm production/ gram testis (DSP/g) as well as in gonadal and extragonadal sperm reserves. These results suggest that decorticated Kapok seed meal had no significant effect on sperm production in breeding bucks at an inclusion level of up to 20%. KSM may thus be a useful source of protein for rabbit bucks.