Effects of supplemental cocoa husk on testicular characteristics of pigs

48 Large white boars with an average weight of 35 kg were randomly allocated to 6 experimental rations compounded from conventional ingredients with maize and maize offal as the major energy Sources. Ration 1, (R1) served as the control and contained no Cocoa husk (CH) supplement. Rations 2.3.4,5 and 6 (R2-R6) contained 5%, 10%, 15% 20% and 25% inclusion levels of cocoa husk, respectively effectively replacing maize offal at 20%, 40%, 60%, 80% and 100%, respectively. Significant effects (P<0.05) were observed on testicular weights with a mean of 150g in the control Digs and 168g in the pigs on 5% CH diet. Further increases in the dietary intake of CH decreased testicular weight. The weight of the tunica albuginea increased initially with increasing CH inclusion up to 10% level (17.8g) thereafter gradually decreasing with increasing CH to10. 6g at 25% CH level. The cauda epididymal weight also exhibited a similar trend. Gonadal sperm reserves were influenced by dietary CH rising from 2.74x109 in the control animals to 13.05 x109 in the 10% CH supplemented group and falling thereafter to 3.21 x109 at 20%CH supplementation. Epididymal reserves were also similar in concentration to the testicular sperm concentrations. Significant dimly effects were observed in calcium, potassium and sodium concentrations in the gonads. Calcium content of gonadal tissues decreased with increasing CH level. Potassium and sodium however rose linearly with increasing CH incorporation zip till 20% incorporation level, and declined sharply in the pigs fed the 25%CH diets. In summary, cocoa husk supported optimum testicular characteristics maximally in mature boars up to 10 % level of incorporation and is tolerated without adverse effects on testicular characteristics up to 15% level.