Impotentia generandi in male dromedary camels: breeding soundness, haematology, biochemistry and testosterone level

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to evaluate changes occurring in blood constituents and testosterone levels in male dromedary camels with impotentia generandi (IG). A total of 30 male dromedary camels suffering from IG were used. Ten normal fertile male camels served as controls. A thorough breeding soundness examination was performed. Semen was collected by electroejaculator. According to the sperm count, the camels with IG were classified as azoospermic (IG-AZO, n = 10), oligospermic (IG-OLG, n = 10) and normospermic (IG-NOR, n = 10). Blood samples were obtained from all animals for haematology (total and differential white blood cell count, red blood cell count, haematocrit value, corpuscular volume, corpuscular haemoglobin value, corpuscular haemoglobin concentration, platelet count), biochemistry (total protein, albumin, alkaline phosphatase, aspartate aminotransferase, γ-glutamyl transferase, blood urea nitrogen, creatine kinase, phosphorus, magnesium) and testosterone level. The results showed that 73.3 % of the camels with IG had abnormal testicular size and/or consistency. No significant differences in any of the estimated blood parameters were detected among the groups. In conclusion, IG in the male dromedary camels was mostly associated with testicular abnormalities. Blood constituents and testosterone levels did not differ between the camels with IG and the healthy controls.