Influence of Varying Levels of Dietary Energy and Protein on Testicular Histomorphometry of Caged FUNAAB – Alpha Cocks

This study was designed to evaluate the effect of varying levels of dietary energy and protein on testicular morphology and histology of FUNAAB-alpha cocks. A total of sixteen cocks, 32 weeks of age were divided into four treatment groups replicated four times each in two blocks in a Randomized Complete block Design. The birds were reared in individual cages. Four experimental diets; Control (2600 Kcal/kg and 13% CP), HELP (2800 Kcal/kg and 10% CP), HEHP (2800 Kcal/kg and 16% CP) and LEHP (2400 Kcal/kg and 16% CP) were formulated. Experimental diets and water were offered ad libitum throughout the experimental period. No significant difference was observed among treatment means for most of the parameters measured except weight of paired vas deferens. The HELP group had heavier (P<0.05) vas deferens compared to control and LEHP but HEHP had a similar weight to all the other groups. The histological sections of testes for the different dietary treatments revealed that testes in cocks fed the different diets were well developed with all series cells in place and showed no adverse effect on spermatogenesis. It was concluded that diets with metabolizable energy of 2600 Kcal/kg and crude protein as low as 13% could be fed to FUNAAB – alpha cocks that are to be used for semen collection and subsequent insemination.