EFFECTS OF DIETARY SUPPLEMENTATION OF GARLIC(ALLIUM SATIVUM) AND SCENT LEAF(OCIMUM GRATISSIMUM) ON RENAL AND TESTICULAR HISTOPATHOLOGY OF RABBIT BUCKS

This study was conducted to evaluate the physiological response of garlic and scent leaf supplementations on histopathology of rabbit bucks at different percentages in an eight (8) weeks feeding trial. A total of twenty-four (24) mature rabbit bucks of different breeds (New Zealand white, White chinchilla and Dutch) were randomly assigned to four dietary treatments consisting of 6 rabbits per treatment with 2 rabbits per replicate in a completely randomized design (CRD) experiment. Four dietary treatments were formulated to meet the nutrient requirements of rabbits supplemented at 0% garlic and scent leaf (T1), 4% garlic (T2), 4% scent leaf (T3), 4% garlic and scent leaf (T4) respectively. Organs samples of the liver, kidney, testes, epididymis and vas deferens were collected and processed for histopathology. Testicular histology of rabbits from all the treatment groups showed severe vacuolar degeneration of the spermatogonia but with less severity on rabbits supplemented with 4% garlic and scent leaf. Also the renal lesions were present in rabbits in T2, while rabbits from the other treatment groups showed normal renal histomorphology as well as the control group. Sections of the vas deferens from rabbits of all the treatment groups including the control group showed the normal histomorphology with luminal sperm cells. It was concluded that both garlic and scent leaf are effective natural additives but cannot be used in high percentages. However the combination of garlic and scent is adequate for optimizing the health and reproductive performance of breeding males, therefore should be used together.