Testicular and Related Size Evaluations in Nigerian Sahel Goats with Optimal Cauda Epididymal Sperm Reserve

Abstract

Testicular sizes of animals are important for identification of those with adequate sperm production. The aim of this study was to define the testicular and related size estimates that would be associated with optimal cauda epididymal sperm counts (ESC) in Sahel goats based on postmortem evaluations. A stratified quota sample population of 125 male goats inclusive of all testicular sizes was taken at a slaughterhouse in Maiduguri, Nigeria. The bucks were aged 18–30 months and weighed 17.04 ± 2.99 (12–25) kg. Body, testicular, and epididymal weights of each goat with other related size measurements were estimated. ESC was determined from homogenized tissue using a manual cytometer. At the cut-off ESC of >1.1 × 109 sperm heads, 66 (52.80%) of the goats had optimal ESC which was associated with testicular weight of 59.90 ± 16.10 (31.40–86.20) g, gonadosomatic index of 3.51 ± 0.69 (2.00–4.50) g/kg, and scrotal circumference of 19.07 ± 1.29 (17.00–21.80) cm. The size variables of the scrotum and testis correlated with one another and with the ESC. These findings provide data that may be used to anticipate adequate antemortem sperm reserve based on testicular size during preliminary selection of sires for breeding from a sexually mature Sahel buck population.

Body Weight and Scrotal-Testicular Biometry in Three Indigenous Breeds of Bucks in Arid and Semiarid Agroecologies, Ethiopia

“…Similar reports of BW being significantly correlated with testicular weight were observed in different breeds of goats [11, 44]. These high, positive, and significant correlations between body weight and SC with testicular measurements suggest that either of these variables or their combinations could provide a good estimate for predicting testicular and epididymal traits.…”

Evaluation of sperm recovered after slaughter from cauda epididymides of red Sokoto bucks

“…The results in this study (Table-2) were higher than the values (0.61±0.05 × 10 9 /ml) earlier reported [35] but were within the range (1.12-4.66 × 10 9 /ml) previously reported [36] and were also in agreement with the finding of Hoseinzadeh-Sani et al . [37].…”

Linear body and reproductive organ characteristics of West African Dwarf goats fed groundnut haulms and cowpea husk with brewers dried grain supplement

“…For the testicular circumference (TC), values ranged from 8.57 to 10.00cm which were significantly (P<0.05) different across treatments. These values are similar to 8.39 to 9.89 cm reported Abba & Igbokwe 19 for Nigerian Sahel goats. The result could be due to the fact that the animals are immature and so the scrotal circumference has not yet developed.…”

“…The higher the testicular mass, the higher the scrotal circumference and hence higher the sperm quality. 19 Information on the Morphometric and reproductive organ characteristics of West African Dwarf goats fed these diets is scanty. The study was therefore carried out to determine the linear body measurements, live weights and reproductive organic characteristics of West African Dwarf goats and how they are affected by the diets.…”