Physiological and reproductive performance of male Baladi rabbits fed on diet supplemented with sea algae during the summer season

Eighteen adult male red baladi rabbits were used to evaluate the effect of feeding a diet supplemented with 1% sea algae (Ulva lactuca and Gntromorpha intestinalis) on semen characteristics and some selected biochemical properties of seminal plasma as well as on some hematological and biochemical parameters of blood plasma of red baladi rabbits. The average maximum and minimum ambient temperature during the experiment (summer season) were 34.3 ^oc and 27.3 ^oc, while the average relative humidity was 72.2 %. Results revealed that motile spenn/ejaculate was significantly (P<O.05) increased during treatment_ Sperm motility, motile sperm/ml, packed sperm volume (PSV) and total ftnctional sperm fraction (TFSF) were significantly (P<O.OI) increased for rabbits offered the diet supplemented with Gmromorpha inleslinalis. Initial fructose was elevated (P<O.05) in the TI group compared with control. Meanwhile, percent of dead and abnormal sperm, and altered acrosomes were significantly (P<O.OI) decreased by treatment Ejaculate volume, spenn concentration and sperm output were not significantly affected by treatment. Biochemical analyses of seminal plasma showed that total lipids, ALP and blood plasma testosterone were significantly (P<O.OI) increased by treatment. Overall means revealed that total lipids was elevated in the T2 group. While, seminal plasma ALP and blood plasma testosterone were elevated in both treatment groups. Total protein, albumin, globulin, cholesterol, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were not significantly affected by treatment. Overall means for body weight gain and total lipids were significantly (P<0.05) decreased in the T2 group, while the overall means of blood Hb, PCV, MCH and glucose were significantly (P<0.05) increased in the T2 group. Water and feed intake was significantly (P<O.05) decreased, while blood plasma total protein, globulin, urea and creatinine were significantly (P<0.05) increased in the TI group. Meanwhile, red blood cells (RBCs), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), albumin and cholestetol were not significantly affected by treatment.