– Influence of Age and Body Condition on Semen Quality, Testicular and Body Dimensions in Red Sokoto Goats of Two Hair Types –
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ABSTRACT
The study was conducted (July, 2011 – June, 2012) to determine the influence of age and body condition on semen quality, testicular and body dimensions in Red Sokoto goats of two hair types using 31 Red Sokoto bucks. The ages of the bucks were categorized into four; 9 -12, 13-16, 17-20 and 21-24 months.
The hair types were categorized into short- smooth (SS) and long-curly (LC). The body condition was scored and categorized as score 3 and 4. Weight records and linear body measurements were obtained. Testicular length and testicular circumference were measured using flexible tape while testicular width and testicular weight were estimated using the appropriate formulae.
The semen trait, sperm morphological defects and semen cation concentrations were evaluated accordingly. The results showed that the mean BW, HG, ST, CW, WH, BD, BL, RW, TL, TC, TW and TWT were 15.02 Kg, 59.9 cm, 54.95 cm, 8.37 cm, 53.41 cm, 32.86 cm, 57.35 cm, 17.03 cm, 12.00 cm, 17.38 cm, 5.53 cm and 203.04 g; while 0.52, 0.64, 0.52, 1.03, 0.61, 94.90,m67.79, 2.62, 5.42 were for DMT, MPD, DH, CBT, ACR, Na, K, Ca and PO4, respectively.
Semen volume, sperm motility, semen pH, sperm concentration and live & dead ratio were 0.42 ml, 79.52 %, 8.85, 701.13 x 106/ml and 0.82 %, respectively. Age and BCS significantly (P<0.01) influenced BW, body conformation and testicular traits, but had a variable influence on semen traits.
DMT, MPD and CBT were more frequent in younger- matured bucks of between 13 and 20 months of age than bucks of later ages while DH and ACR occurred in the younger (9 – 12 months) and older bucks (21 – 24 months of age). Semen cation concentrations were relatively higher in the older bucks of 21 – 24 months than the younger bucks except for Na+ which was also high in younger bucks of 9 – 16 months. Hair type had influence (P<0.01) on some testicular traits.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE……… i
DECLARATION…….. ii
CERTIFICATION………… iii
DEDICATION………… iv
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS……….. v
ABSTRACT……… vi
TABLE OF CONTENTS………… vii
LIST OF TABLES…….. xi
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS……………. xiii
CHAPTER ONE
- Background Information……………. 1
- Justification of ……….. 4
- Statement of Research Hypothesis……. 5
- Objectives of the Study.. 5
CHAPTER TWO
- LITERATURE REVIEW…………… 6
- Goat Population and Distribution……. 6
- Red Sokoto Goats…………… 7
- Qualitative Characteristics…… 9
- Hair type in goats…………. 9
- Body Weights in Goats………. 10
- Body Condition Score (BCS)……………. 14
- Body Linear Measurement (BLM)…… 17
- Heart girth…………….. 18
- Height at withers………. 20
- Body …………… 23
- Predicting Body Weight Using Linear Measurements…………. 25
- Testicular Biometry in Bucks…………. 28
- Fixed Factor Effects on Measured Characteristics……… 31
- Effect of age………… 31
- Effect of sex…………… 33
- Effect of breed……………… 34
- Effect of season…………. 35
- Factors Affecting Fertility in Bucks…….. 35
- Male associated factors……… 35
- Semen ……………………. 38
- Semen collection frequency……………… 38
- Semen evaluation………… 38
- Semen colour………………… 38
- Semen volume……… 39
- Semen pH………………… 40
- Sperm motility………….. 41
- Sperm concentration…………… 41
- Sperm morphology……. 42
- Biochemical Parameters of Semen………….. 43
CHAPTER THREE
- MATERIALS AND METHODS……… 45
- Experimental site…… 45
- Experimental Animals and their Management………… 45
- Data Collection………… 46
- Body weight measurement………….. 46
- Body linear measurement…….. 46
- Testicular ………………. 47
- Semen collection and …… 48
- Semen collection………. 48
- Semen evaluation………………….. 48
- Determination of Factors……………… 50
- Age determination……….. 50
- Hair type………….. 51
- Body condition score (BCS)……… 51
- Statistical Analysis…….. 52
CHAPTER FOUR
- RESULTS…………… 54
- Body Conformation, Testicular and Semen Characteristics…. 54
- Sperm Morphological Characteristics and Semen Cation Concentrations 63
- Correlated Relationships Between Body Conformation, Testicular and Semen Characteristics in Bucks……. 69
- Correlated Relationships Between Sperm Morphological Characteristics and Semen Cation Concentrations in Bucks…. 79
CHAPTER FIVE
- DISCUSSION……….91
- Body Conformation, Testicular and Semen Characteristics…. 91
- Sperm Morphological Characteristics and Semen Cation Concentration 100
- Relationships Between Body Dimensions, Testicular and Semen Characteristics in the Bucks.06
- Relationships Between Sperm Morphological Characteristics and Semen Cation Concentrations in Bucks…..112
CHAPTER SIX
- SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS…………. 118
- Summary………….. 118
- Conclusions……. 121
- Recommendations……………….. 122
References. 123
INTRODUCTION
Livestock of different species fulfill different functions in the household economy and poor families often keep a diversity of species for this reason (Anderson, 2003). Domestic goats (Capra hircus, L.) are important and adaptable domesticated animals (Abdel-Aziz, 2010). They provide a full range of useful products to humans including meat, milk, skin and hair.
They efficiently survive on available shrubs and trees in harsh environment and in low fertility lands where no other crops can be grown in Nigeria. Goat production over the years has been one of the major means of improving the livelihoods of poor livestock keepers, reducing poverty and attaining sustainable agriculture and universal food security (Abdel-Aziz, 2010).
The population of goats in Nigeria is estimated at 53.8 million (FAOSTAT, 2011) of which traditionally reared stock contributes 99.97%, while 0.03% of the stock is commercially managed. Based on morphology, the two most important goat breeds traditionally recognized in Nigeria are the Red Sokoto (RS) and the West African Dwarf (WAD) goats (Ebozoje and Ikeobi, 1998).
In order to develop a very good model for the genetic improvement of goats, it is important to measure the traits of interest with some high level of accuracy. Since goats are mostly kept for their meat, the most important trait of interest for genetic improvement is the body weight. Body weight is often the most common and informative measure of animal performance (Adeyinka and Mohammed, 2006).
REFERENCES
Abd-Allah, S.M., Mostafaa, A.S. and El-Nemr, I.Z. (2007). Reproductive Characteristics of Native Bucks at different ages. Egyptian Journal of Veterinary Science, 41:1- 8.p
Abdel-Aziz, M. (2010). Present status of the world goat populations and their productivity. Lohman Information, 45: 42–52.
Abdel-Rahman, H. A., El-Belely, M. S., Al-Qarawi, A. A. and El-Mougy, S. A. (2000). Therelationship between semen quality and mineral composition of semen in various ram breeds. Small Ruminant Research, 38: 45-49.
Acharya, R.M., Gupta, U.D., Sehgal, J.P. and Singh, M. (1995). Coat characteristics of goats in relation to heat tolerance in the tropics. Small Ruminant Research.18 (3): 245 – 248.
Adedeji, O.S. and Gbadamosi, A.J. (1999). Relationship of scrotal circumference to age, body weight and the right and left scrotal length in the red Sokoto goats. In: Proceedings of 26th annual Conference of Nigerian Society of Animal Production, Ilorin, Nigeria. Pp: 10-13.
Adeyinka, I.A. and Mohammed, I.D. (2006). Relationship of live weight and linear body measurement in two breeds of goat of Northern Nigeria. Journal of Animal and Veterinary advances. 5(11): 891-893.
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