The effects of feeding graded levels of whole cottonseed on semen characteristics and testicular profiles of Red Sokoto Bucks

ABSTRACT. The present work evaluated the effects of feeding graded levels of whole cottonseed on reproductive parameters of Red Sokoto bucks. Twenty Red Sokoto bucks were used for the experiment. After a 14-day pre-treatment period, bucks were assigned for 90 days to one of four isonitrogeneous treatments: control (diet A); 0 mg kg-1 of total gossypol, (diet B); 15% mg kg-1 of total gossypol, (diet C); 30% mg kg-1 of total gossypol and (diet D); 45% mg kg-1 of total gossypol. The mean percentage sperm gross motility was significantly (p 0.05) different among treatment groups. Semen colour of the bucks in the control group was majorly creamy, in group C (30% WCS) and B (15% WCS) creamy to milky and group D (45% WCS) colourless. The mean semen volume was significantly (p