Evaluation of some seminal parameters of Californian rabbits

Abstract

Semen samples were collected by artificial vagina from 15 californian male rabbits. The purpose was studying the main seminal evaluation parameters, to select breeders and make cryopreservation of the semen. The semen was milky in appearance, the results obtained expressed in average were: volume 0.73±0.24 ml, sperm concentration 341.267 spermatozoa per mm3, total sperm number ejaculated were 244,27 x 10⁶. Mass activity of 3 was found and individual motility was 77.6%. The morphological evaluation determined 18.5% of total abnormalities, being distributed as 6.5% of pathological heads, 4.5% of mid piece defects, 6% of tail abnormalities and 1.5% of proximal cytoplasm drop.