Abstract

ABSTRACT
This paper aimed to determined the semen evaluation of Sahel bucks and the effects of chicken egg yolk and guinea fowl egg yolk based extenders on the quality of Sahel buck spermatozoa during preservation at 5 OC. Semen was collected from seven sexually matured Sahel bucks using electro-ejaculator twice a week for the period of eight weeks. Semen samples showing more than 3 + mass motility, 70 % and above individual progressive motility and Livability, less than 10 % morphological abnormalities were pooled and subsequently divided into two aliquots. Each aliquot was extended in different extenders; chicken egg yolk and guinea fowl egg yolk and stored at 5 OC. The quality of spermatozoa on the basis of percentage spermatozoa motility, livability and morphological abnormalities were evaluated after extension at 0 hour, 3hours, 6 hours and 24 hours at 5 OC. Semen motility and livability was slightly higher for chicken egg yolk at 3 to 24 hours when compared with guinea fowl egg yolk extender but no significance difference (P > 0.05) observed between the two extenders (chicken egg yolk and guinea fowl egg yolk) at 0 hours post extension. In all the period of extension, the semen motility and livability were dropping significantly (P< 0.05) from 80 % at 0 hours to virtually 35 % at 24 hours post extension. There was no statistically significant difference (P>0.05) observed between the morphological abnormalities of semen extended with chicken egg yolk extender and guinea fowl egg yolk extender at 5° C at 0 hour, 3 hour, 6 hours and 24 hours respectively. In conclusion, Semen parameters of Sahel bucks in Maiduguri was evaluated and Tris Buffer + chicken egg yolk extender had the highest motility and livability rate with low morphological abnormalities when compared with guinea fowl egg yolk based extender preserved at 5 OC over 24 hours of storage.

Key words: Keys: Chicken, Egg yolk, Extender, Guinea fawl, Sahel goat,