Some characteristics of rabitts semen, Oryctolagus cuniculus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Abstract

Seventy six ejaculates were collected from 12 New Zeland rabbits 6 to 12 months old, with intervals of 30 days using a.v. In all samples the semen's color was milky white. The Avarage values determined were: volume 0,74 ml (0,3 |—| 1 1,4); pH 6,74(6,4 |—| 8,0); sperm concentration/mm³ 312.945 (10.400|—|1.007.600); sperm concentration/ejaculate (x 10³) 235.774(8.230 |—| 1.410.640); morphologically abnormal spermatozoon20,73% (8,01 |—| 32,98%) being distributed as: narrow head 0,66%, narrow at the base head 1,80%, pears liaped head 1,36%,eccentric (abbatial) spermatozoon 14,54%, giant, small, round or wide heads 0,35%, undevelop med 1,54% and free deformed head0,57%. It was found a positive and not significant correlation between both sperm concentration/mm³ and volume (r =0,30) and volume and pH (r = 0,29); a negative and not significant correlation was also found between patologic sperm and volume (r = -0,50);further, a positive correlation between sperm concentration/mm3and pH (r = 0,66); a significant and negative correlation between pathologic sperm and sperm concentration/mm3 (r = -0,60) and a negative and significant correlation between pathologic sperm and sperm concentration/ejaculate (r = -0,60), were also observed.