Feed intake and sperm morphology in Ogaden bucks supplemented with either agro-industrial by-products or khat (Catha edulis) leftover

In this study, feed intake and sperm morphology were evaluated in Ogaden bucks supplemented with either agro-industrial by-products or khat leftover. Thirty-five bucks at about 1 year of age, and 15 +/- 1.5 kg initial body weight, were involved in a 12-week feeding programme that had four diet groups. The control (C) diet comprised grass hay alone, fed ad libitum; treatment 1 (T1) comprised grass hay ad libitum supplemented with a mix of agro-industrial by-products at 1% of body weight (BW); treatment 2 (T2) comprised grass hay ad libitum supplemented with khat leftovers at 1% of BW; and treatment 3 (T3) comprised khat leftover alone, fed ad libitum. Bucks in T1-T3 consumed the highest (p < 0.001) dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), organic matter (OM) and gross energy (GE) compared with control. Among the treatment groups, DM, OM and GE intakes were higher (p < 0.05) in T3 and T2, while CP intake was highest (p < 0.05) in T1. T1 and T3 improved (p < 0.001) the percentage of morphologically-normal spermatozoa in comparison with C, with bucks in T3 being best. The proportion of total abnormal sperm head shapes and proximal cytoplasmic droplets was lowest (p < 0.01) in T1 and T3 and highest in C. Although feeding with T1 improved feed intake and sperm morphology, feeding with T3 showed the highest response. Thus, we conclude that T3 and T1 could be utilized as feedstuff to improve sperm morphology in goats under the smallholder farming system in Ethiopia.