Live weight changes, gonadal and epididymal sperm reserves of Yankasa Rams fed different levels of dried layer litter in their diets

The effects of feeding different levels of dried layer litter as a protein source on live weight, testicular weight, gonadal and epididymal sperm reserves of Yankasa rams was investigated in a 98-day study. Twenty healthy Yankasa rams with clinically normal genitalia were divided randomly into 4 groups (A, B, C and D) of 5 rams each. Diets containing 12.11% CP, 14.96% CP and 17.94% CP were formulated using dry layer litter (DLL) and maize offal (MO) were fed to groups A, B and C respectively. Group D (control) was fed 12.26% CP diet from conventional protein sources. All animals were fed Digitaria hay as a basal diet ad libitum and a supplement at 2% body weight/animal/day. Group A gained more live-weight when compared with group C and the control (P<0.05). Also the same group had the highest testicular weight. Significantly higher gonadal sperm and epididymal reserves were observed in group A when compared with the control. This is attributed to the significantly higher increase in live-weight observed in group A. The increase in testicular size in rams on 12.11% CP indicated a large volume of testicular parenchyma and increase in the volume of seminiferous epithelium and diameter of seminiferous tubules where spermatogenesis occurs. It was concluded from the study that dried layer litter can serve as a dietary protein source used to improve live weight and gonadal reserves especially when given at low levels.

Keywords:

Dietary protein , Sperm reserves , Layer litter