The influences of dietary fumonisin B 1 (FB 1 ), a metabolite of Fusarium verticillioides, on the onset of puberty, semen quality, fertility rates and testicular morphology in male rabbits (bucks) were studied. Forty male rabbits were randomly assigned and fed four diets containing 0.13, 5.0, 7.5 and 10.0 mg FB 1 /kg, constituting diets 1 (control), 2, 3 and 4 respectively, for a period of 175 days in a completely randomized design. During the last week of the feeding trial, two untreated female rabbits were mated to each of the four treated bucks per treatment to assess the fertility rate of the treated bucks. Onset of puberty in animals fed diets 3 and 4 was significantly (P!0.05) delayed by some 9-12 days. The weight at puberty, sperm concentration and total sperm/ejaculate were not significantly influenced by the dietary FB 1 . Sperm mass activities, motility and live spermatozoa of the rabbits' semen significantly (P!0.05) declined with an increase in the dietary FB 1 . The highest sperm cell abnormalities were recorded in the animals fed 10.0 mg/kg FB 1 , while the least was observed in the control animals. The conception rate, litter size and embryo survival rate were statistically the same among the dietary treatments. Embryo mortality was significantly (P!0.05) higher in rabbits fed diets 3 and 4 than in others. Testicular elements were significantly (P!0.05) impaired by the toxin in rabbits fed 7.5 and 10.0 mg FB 1 /kg. This suggests that LOAEL of 7.50 mg/kg FB 1 delayed puberty, impaired semen quality and spermatogenesis and induced embryo mortality without a statistically adverse effect on the fertility rates of male rabbits.

In a 196-day feeding trial, 48 male crossbred rabbits (New Zealand × Chinchilla) were randomly assigned and fed varied dietary fumonisin levels of 0.13, 5.0, 7.5 and 10.0 mg fumonisin B(1)/kg diet constituting treatments 1 (control), 2, 3 and 4 respectively. Five animals were randomly selected, stunned and killed per treatment. Relative weight of various visceral organs examined except heart and adrenal gland were significantly (p < 0.05) influenced by the dietary treatments. Liver and spleen weights of rabbits fed 10.0 mg fumonisin per kg were significantly (p < 0.05) lower than those fed control diet and diet 2. Kidney and testes weights were significantly (p < 0.05) lower in rabbits fed control diet and increased with increase in the dietary fumonisin levels. Histological examination of the organs revealed that rabbits fed diets 2, 3 and 4 showed increased severe lesion of approximately 20%, 40% and 60%, respectively, of the total slides examined for each treatment. Forty per cent and 80% of the rabbits fed diets containing 7.5 and 10.0 mg/kg fumonisin, respectively, showed severe necrosis whereas 40%, 60% and 20% of the rabbits fed 5.0, 7.5 and 10.0 mg/kg, respectively, showed mild–moderate liver necrosis/lesions as compared with non-significant lesion observed in the controls. Testicles of rabbits fed diets 3 and 4 showed mild–moderate lesions and sertoli cell degeneration. Tunica mucosa erosion was observed and predominant in the stomach and small intestine of rabbits fed 7.5 and 10.0 mg fumonisin per kg diet. This suggested that fumonisin B(1) above 5.0 mg/kg in rabbit diet is toxic to body organs with potential to induce their hypofunction or total damage.

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Maize grains contaminated with fumonisin, a metabolite of Fusarium verticillioides was incorporated into matured male rabbits' diet to evaluate its effects on performance, haematology and serum biochemistry in rabbits. Thirty individually caged crossbred adult rabbit bucks averaging 1.36 +/- 0.01 kg (about 22-24-week-old) were randomly allotted to three treatment diets comprising a control diet (containing 0.35 +/- 0.02 mg fumonisin/kg) and two test diets containing 12.30 +/- 0.16 and 24.56 +/- 0.14 mg fumonisin/kg, constituting treatments 1 (low infection), 2 (medium infection) and 3 (high infection), respectively, in a five-week feeding trial. Results showed that the dry matter intake (DMI) (g/rabbit) at the end of the feeding trial was significantly (P < 0.05) influenced. The DMI declined with increasing dietary fumonisin by a significant 80% and 95% (P < 0.05) for high and medium levels of dietary fumonisin, respectively, relative to the mean weekly DMI of 609.93 +/- 45.08 g by rabbits fed diet with low level of fumonisin. The weekly weight gain tended to decrease with increased dietary fumonisin levels, while the haematological and serum biochemical components examined, were not statistically influenced among the diets when fed to male rabbits for a period of 5 weeks.

As the plant Moringa oleifera is used in herbal medicines for animals, an experiment was carried out to assess the effects of crude M. oleifera leaf extract (CMOLE) on the blood profile of rabbit does during gestation and lactation. Twenty-four mature does (mean weight 2200 g) housed individually were assigned to four treatments in a completely randomised design. The animals in treatments 2, 3 and 4 were orally given 100, 200 and 300 mL/L CMOLE, respectively, at 2.5 mL/kg body weight at 48 h intervals for 9 weeks. The control animals (treatment 1) were given with water only. All the does were mated with untreated bucks 2 weeks into the experiment. Blood samples were collected at 3rd trimester (day 25 of gestation) and 2nd week of lactation. During gestation, levels of erythrocytes, leukocytes, haematocrit, haemoglobin, lymphocytes, monocytes and eosinophils were not significantly different among the treatments. However, animals on treatment 2 had the highest platelets (148.8 × 10(9)/L), not significantly different from those on treatments 3 (141.5 × 10(9)/L) and 4 (135.0 × 10(9)/L), but higher (p < 0.05) than the control (126.6 × 10(9)/L). Haematological parameters during lactation were not significantly different among the treatments. Of the serum biochemical variables examined during gestation, only urea was higher (p < 0.05) in control rabbits than those administered with 300 mL/L CMOLE. In lactation, only cholesterol was significantly (p < 0.05) reduced with an increase in CMOLE concentration. This suggests that Moringa has a hypocholesterolemic effect and is safe for use up to 300 mL/L for both nutritional and medicinal purposes.