EFFECT OF PRE-COPULATORY TREATMENT WITH AQUEOUS LEAF EXTRACT OF Spondias mombin ON GESTATIONAL CHARACSTERISTICS OF RABBITS

Abstract

Fifteen plurigravida rabbits weighing between 2.0 and 2.6 kg were used for the study of gestational characteristics after pre-copulatory oral administration of aqueous leaf extract of Spondias mombin. The fifteen does were divided into three groups of five does per group. Four untreated reproductively proven bucks kept separately in different cages were used for copulation. Dosages administered were 400mg/kg and 800mg/kg for groups A and B respectively while distilled water was served to control group C. Mating, pregnancy diagnosis using ultrasound and determination of birth parameters were conducted subsequently at the end of extract treatment. Average litter size,birth weight and gestation length observed in all dosage groups had statistically similar values (p≥0.05).However, it is worth noting the relatively higher values of average litter size in 800mg/kg dosage group and control (5.60±0.40) compared to 400mg/kg group (5.40±0.75) and the highest birth weight value recorded for 800mg/kg (46.63±3.55) compared to 400mg\kg group (45.30±3.22) and control (42.38±3.74). It was concluded that pre-copulatory administration of aqueous leaf extract of Spondias mombin at dosages as high as 800mg/kg to rabbit does not have deleterious effect on its prolificacy and does have pro-fertility tendencies.