Semen and Extra Gonadal Characteristics of Cocks Fed Varying Levels of Nutmeg Seed Meal, Clove Leaf Meal and their Composite

Abstract

This study was carried out to assess the effect of nutmeg, clove and their composite as additives on the semen characteristics, gonadal and extra-gonadal sperm reserves of the cocks. 168 matured cocks (Isa Brown breed) were randomly assigned to 7 dietary treatments where the control diet without the test and 6 other treatment ingredients were tagged Diet I to VII. They were 250 mg nutmeg, 500mg nutmeg, 250mg clove, 500mg clove and their composites at 250 mg nutmeg-clove, 500mg nutmeg-clove, respectively. Each dietary treatment has 4 replicates of 6 birds per replicate. The feeding trial lasted for 10 weeks. At the end of the feeding trial, 3 cocks per replicate were humanely sacrificed and their reproductive tracts were dissected. All data obtained were subjected to statistical analysis of variance (ANOVA) procedure of SAS (2008). The significant treatment means were compared using New Duncan Multiple range test option of the same software. The results showed that all the semen characteristics were significantly and positively affected by inclusion of nutmeg and clove up to 0.50 g.kg-1 diet. The paired epididymis (5.30±0.21, 5.20±0.29, 5.37±0.11, 5.40±0.08, 5.60±0.18, 5.52±0.27, 5.79±0.27) and vas deferens weights (1.38±0.24, 1.12±0.08, 1.13±0.14, 1.07±0.09, 0.91±0.10, 1.17±0.03, 1.19±0.03) were significantly (P < 0.05) reduced by the inclusion levels of composite of nutmeg and clove up to 0.50 g.kg-1 diet, while vas deferens lengths (20.47±0.48, 18.98±1.15, 17.68±0.57, 18.52±0.49, 15.09±0.79, 13.64±0.21, 13.64±0.21) were significantly (P < 0.05) reduced with 0.25 and 0.50 g nutmeg and clove kg-1 diet. Nevertheless, the testicular parameters were significantly (P < 0.05) increased by the varying inclusion levels of nutmeg and clove when compared with the control. The paired testicular sperm reserves (TSR/testis (2.10±0.15, 2.01±0.12, 2.30±0.03, 2.24±0.16, 2.03±0.02, 1.80±0.03, 1.80±0.03) and TSR/g testis (1.72±0.18, 1.64±0.11, 1.64±0.05, 1.47±0.14, 1.50±0.11, 1.28±0.15, 1.28±0.15) were significantly (P < 0.05) influenced by the nutmeg and clove inclusion when compared with the control diet. However, the paired epididymis sperm reserves were significantly higher at the inclusion levels of 0.25 and 0.50 g nutmeg supplementation of cocks' diets with Nutmeg and clove up to 0.5g.kg-1 did not compromise the semen characteristics, gonadal and extra-gonadal sperm reserves in the treated birds. This study reveals that composite of nutmeg and clove up to 0.50g/kg in poultry cocks diets is a potential toxicant that has pathophysiological effects on the reproductive potential of cocks as it significantly reduced the daily sperm production and gonadal reserves of cocks. Composite of nutmeg and clove up to 0.50g/kg diet should not be added with cocks feed used for breeding purposes.