Effects of season and feeding level on reproductive activity and semen quality in Payoya buck goats

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine if there is a seasonal pattern of reproductive activity in male Payoya goats and if this seasonality can be modulated by a higher level of nutrition. For a period of 16 months, 10 adult bucks were divided into two experimental groups that differed in their feeding level. The high nutrition group (H, n = 5) received 1.6 times their maintenance food requirements. The control nutrition group (C, n = 5) received a diet that supported 1.1 times their maintenance requirements. Body weight and testosterone concentrations were determined weekly, and testicular weight was determined every 2 weeks. Sexual behaviour and semen characteristics were determined monthly. Feeding level did not affect the onset or the end of the reproductive activity as measured by testosterone concentrations, with high testosterone concentrations between July and November. Ejaculation latency was positively influenced by feeding level: 43.2 ± 2.2 s vs. 61.6 ± 3.2 s for H and C group, respectively ( P < 0.001). The percentage of males that ejaculated or that were sexually active was higher in the H group ( P < 0.01). No differences between feeding levels were observed in the different semen characteristics studied. However, major differences between months were observed for all studied variables. These results lead us to conclude that Payoya bucks exhibit large seasonal variation in their reproductive activity. Higher feeding level allowed a better sexual behaviour in bucks in late spring, when male effect is used on the local livestock to breed females.