Sperm quality in rams of hair through year at 19 ° north latitude sperm quality in ram

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate changes in the characteristics of the ejaculate of rams of hair
during the year at 19 ° LN.
Design/methodology/approach: Eight rams of hair with an age of 11.5 ± 0.5 months
and live weight of 62 ± 6 kg were used, to which semen was collected every 15 d during
the months of March 2013 to February 2014, a period that was divided into two stages:
1) reproductive season (R) and 2) seasonal anestrus. In each ejaculate, the volume (V),
sperm concentration (CE), mass motility (MM) and the percentage of live and abnormal
sperm were evaluated. The results were analyzed by season using the ANDEVA by
means of the GLM procedure and comparison of means by the Tukey test; the
environmental variables were correlated with the seminal characteristics by the CORR
procedure of SAS.
Results: The seminal characteristics were different between seasons (P ? 0.05). The
highest V, CE, MM and percentage of live was observed during the R (1.4 mL and 2.4
X109, 4.5 and 90% respectively. We found a negative correlation (P ? 0.05) between
mobility and photoperiod (-0.73).
Limitations on study/implications: The seminal quality of rams of hair, outside the
reproductive period, is reduced.
Findings/conclusions: At 19 ° LN the rams have a seasonal pattern of reproduction,
and during R and TRA the best characteristics of the ejaculate are found.