Degeneración testicular en toros

Abstract

Testicular degeneration is a disease with high incidence in Brazil, and it is extremely important to have knowledge about its process in bulls. There are several reasons that lead the animal to have testicular degeneration, which is then an acquired condition, but the most common today is high temperatures, since the climate in Brazil is tropical, causing the famous testicular thermal stress in cattle, generating alterations in spermatogenesis and leading to a decrease in the quality of the ejaculated semen. The difficulty in diagnosing testicular degeneration at an early stage has prevented treatment from being carried out as soon as possible for the primary cause. Ultrasonography allows for the earliest possible diagnosis, as well as being a fundamental tool in evaluating the testicular parenchyma and alterations. Furthermore, being aware of the severity of this pathology in animal production and reproduction, we aimed to describe the normal conditions of spermatozoa in cases of testicular degeneration, as well as a brief overview of the incidence of this pathology, and offer forms of treatment such as the use of antioxidants as a key element for prevention in cattle bulls.