Influence of Seasons of the Year and Ages on the Testicular Measurements and Semen Characteristics of the Male Dromedary Camels

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Animal Production Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt.

2 Animal Production Research Institute, Dokki, Giza, Egypt.

Abstract

This work aims to define the effects of different seasons of the year and ages on the testicular measurements and sperm characteristics of the male Maghrebi camels. Eighty-four (42 testes) during the breeding season and (42 testes) during non-breeding season were used. The animals were divided into first, second and third groups at <4-9, <9-14 and <14-19 years of age, respectively. The obtained results revealed that testes weight (gm), testicular volume (cm3) and scrotal circumference (cm) were significantly (P<0.05) higher at <9-14 or <14-19 than <4-9 years of age either the breeding or non-breeding seasons. However, testes tone firmer score and seminal hydrogen-ion concentration (pH) value at <4-9, <9-14 and <14-19 years of age were insignificant, during the breeding or non-breeding seasons, respectively. Semen color was Creamy white, Creamy white and Milky white during the breeding season and Greyish white, Light milky white and Watery white during non-breeding season in both at <4-9, <9-14 and <14-19 years of age, respectively. The percentage of motile spermatozoa and sperm-cell concentration (×106/ml) showed significantly (P<0.05) higher values during the breeding season than non-breeding season at <4-9, <9-14 and <14-19 years of age, respectively. While the percentages of dead spermatozoa, abnormal spermatozoa, acrosome damage and chromatin damage of spermatozoa were significantly (P<0.05) higher at <14-19 or <9-14 years than <4-9 years whether in the breeding or non-breeding season.

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