Dry layer litter and rice husk: Alternatives to feed supplements in improving semen quality of red Sokoto bucks

Abstract
The effect of using dry layer litter and rice husk as alternative feed source on seminal characteristics of red Sokoto bucks was investigated in a 98 day study using eighteen healthy Red Sokoto bucks. The bucks were divided into 3 groups (A, B and C) of 6 bucks each. Concentrate containing 15.01% CP was formulated using conventional feed sources and fed to group A, while group B were fed 15.13% CP concentrate formulated using dry layer litter (DLL) and rice husk (RH). Group C (control) was not fed any supplement. All groups were fed a basal diet of cowpea hay and water ad libitum, while supplements were fed at 2% body weight in two divided portions. Feeding 15.13% CP diet formulated using RH and DLL favoured spermatogenesis in Red Sokoto bucks as evident from increased semen concentration by 160×106/ml at day 98, high percentage viable spermatozoa (74.89%) and high percentage spermatozoa with normal morphology (77.55%). This was attributed to high available nitrogen from the poultry litter and its utilization by the rumen microflora making it available for absorption leading to improved spermatogenesis. It was concluded that, feeding dried layer liter and rice husk as alternative feed supplements resulted improved semen quality of red Sokoto bucks. It is therefore recommend that dried layer litter and rice husk can be used as a feed supplements for red Sokoto bucks as they can compete with feed from conventional sources.