Effects of Leucaena pallida and Sesbania sesban supplementation on testicular histology of tropical sheep and goats

Thirty Ethiopian highland rams with an average body weight of 23.7 kg (S.D. = 1.23) and age of 18 months and 25 East African bucks with an average bod y weight of 18.6 kg (S.D. = 2.06) and age of 14 months were used to study t he long term effects of supplementation with the leaves of Leucaena pallida and Sesbania sesban on testicular histology. Within species, animals were blocked based on body weight and scrotal circumference and randomly assigne d, within blocks, to five nutritional treatment groups in a complete random ised block design. All animals were provided with unchopped teff (Eragrosti s tef) straw ad libitum and were supplemented with either 150 g of wheat br an (control), leucaena (200 or 400 g) or sesbania (200 or 400 g) leaves for a period of 6 months. At the end of the experimental period, all animals w ere surgically castrated and testicular samples were collected and prepared for histopathological examination. In sheep 200 g S. sesban induced relati vely more necrosis of the seminiferous tubules than 200 g L. pallida, but w ith similar degree of tubular degeneration. However, lesions in testis of g oats fed on 200 g S. sesban and 200 g L. pallida did not differ. The effect of 400 g S. sesban and 400 g L. pallida in sheep indicated that the former hardly induced lesions except depressive effect on spermatogenesis. Simila r results were observed in goats. About 400 g S. sesban induced milder lesi ons in sheep and goats than were 200 g S. sesban. The lesions were compared and discussed in relation to the phytochemical composition of the suppleme ntary feeds. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.