Scrotal,testicular and semen characteristics of young Boer bucks fed winter veld hay: The effect of nutritional supplementation |
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| Institution: | 1. CIISA, Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação em Sanidade Animal and IICT, Centro de Veterinária e Zootecnia, FMV, Rua Prof. Cid dos Santos, 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal;2. Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of the Free State, P.O. Box 339, Bloemfontein 9300, South Africa;1. Department of Theriogenology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Assiut University, El Kharga, Egypt;2. Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt;3. Department of Animal Nutrition and Clinical Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt;1. Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias (FCA), Universidade Federal da Grande Dourados (UFGD), Caixa Postal 533, 79804-970 Dourados, MS, Brazil;2. Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Campus Universitário s/n, Caixa Postal 354, Capão do Leão, 96010-900 Pelotas, RS, Brazil;3. Private Veterinarian, Brazil;4. Universidade Anhanguera-Uniderp, Campus III, Rua Professor Alexandre Herculano, 1400, Jardim Veraneio, 79037280 Campo Grande, MS, Brazil;5. CECAV – Centro de Ciência Animal e Veterinária da Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Escola Superior Agrária de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, Apartado 1172, 5301-855 Bragança, Portugal;1. Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Ilhéus, Bahia, Brazil;2. Pontíficia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais, Betim, Minas Gerais, Brazil;3. Consultora estatística, Banco de desenvolvimento de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil;4. Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil;5. Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil;1. Department of Animal Genetics and Breeding, Madras Veterinary College, Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (TANUVAS), Vepery, Chennai, 600007, India;2. Livestock Farm Complex, MMC, Chennai, 600051, India;3. Department of Wildlife Science, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Madras Veterinary College, Chennai, 600007, India;4. Postgraduate Research Institute in Animal Sciences, Kattupakkam, 603 203, India;1. Departamento de Ciencias Agroforestales, Universidad de Huelva, “Campus de Excelencia Internacional Agroalimentario, ceiA3”, Carretera Huelva-Palos de la Frontera s/n, 21819 Palos de la Frontera, Huelva, Spain;2. Universidad Arturo Prat, Facultad de Recursos Naturales Renovables, Avenida Arturo Prat, 2120 Iquique, Chile |
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| Abstract: | The aim of the work was to determine the effects of feeding winter veld hay plus a supplement on scrotal, testicular and semen characteristics in young Boer goat bucks. Fifteen Boer goat bucks (6–8 months of age), were allocated to two groups and fed ad libitum for a period of 29 days. The WH group (winter hay or control group; n = 8) received a chopped diet consisting of grass hay, predominantly Themeda triandra grass (cut during the winter) from natural pastures (veld). The WH + S group (winter hay plus supplement; n = 7) received the same diet consisting of Themeda triandra veld hay and supplemented with maize meal, molasses meal and urea. Body weights and feed intake were recorded, as well as scrotal, testicular and semen characteristics. Results indicate a detrimental effect of winter veld hay feeding on characteristics such as sperm cell abnormalities (43% in the WH group versus 24% in WH group), testicular volume (156 ml in the WH + S group versus 104 ml for WH animals) or scrotal circumference (20.7 cm in WH + S group versus 17.7 cm in WH group). It is essential to supplement the nutrition of small ruminants under winter environments, to maintain scrotal, testicular and semen characteristics, especially if the animals are to be used in the subsequent breeding season. |
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