INFLUENCE OF WATTLE ON BODY MEASUREMENTS, SCROTAL AND SEMEN OF RED SOKOTO BUCKS KEPT SEMI-INTENSIVELY IN MINNA, NIGER STATE, NIGERIA.

Abstract

This study aims at assessing the influence of wattle on body measurements, scrotal and semen was carried out on eight Red Sokoto bucks in Niger State, Nigeria. The experiment lasted twelve months within which data was collected on Body weight, Body length, Head length, Head width, Height-at-wither, Chest girth, Rump length, Rump width, Fore leg length, Hind leg length, Shine circumference, Scrotal length and Scrotal Circumference. The semen of the bucks were analyzed to evaluate the effect of wattle on the semen. At the end, wattle had significant influence (P<0.05) only on the head width and the fore leg length (for body measurement) of the bucks used. Bucks with wattle had longer fore leg length than those without wattle while bucks without wattle had wider head width than those with wattle. Other parameters measured including all semen, scrotal and rectal temperature were not significantly influenced (P>0.05). Based on the result of this study wattle trait is not reliable means of assessing large body size and fertility in red sokoto bucks.