Short-term effect of hemi-orchidectomy on testicular and ejaculate characteristics of West African Dwarf bucks

Abstract

Eighteen healthy West African Dwarf goats 1.7±0.3 years old and weighing 16.5±3.3 kg were assigned randomly to six successive replicates for the following treatments: Intact testis (control); left testis orchidectomy and right testis orchidectomy. All orchidectomies were performed after two weeks of quarantine and performance on the bucks was studied. In the control intact bucks, an ejaculate volume of 0.4±0.04 ml, sperm concentration of 2.7±0.2×10 9 sperm/ml, sperm motility of 68.3±3.0%, testicular circumference of 9.5±0.5 cm, testicular weight 31.8±4.9 g and percentage live sperm of 91.3±2.5% were recorded. In the hemi-orchidectomized goats, the ejaculate characteristics of left orchidectomy, the sperm motility was significantly ( P<0.01) higher than in control bucks. Testicular circumference of left testis orchidectomy did not differ significantly from that of the right testis orchidectomy, while being significantly different ( P<0.01) to those of the intact testis. The study showed that in the short term, hemi-orchidectomized bucks can be assessed for the suitability and evaluation of their testes for breeding purposes, using the parameters evaluated above.