Seminal Degeneration in the Ram and Its Relation to the Temperature of the Scrotum

Abstract

Summary. The semen collected from twelve Merino rams was ex¬ amined before and after they were exposed during 3 days to two 6-hr periods in a climate room at 40-5°C , After recovery from the first experiment, the same rams were divided into three groups of four. Two groups were exposed to the same heat treatments as before and the third group stood in the climate room for 12 hr at 21°C and 6-8 mm Hg vapour pressure. Water at 17 to 19°C was circulated around the scrotum of one group of rams exposed to heat and of the group in the thermo-neutral environment. Only the rams exposed to heat without their scrota cooled in this way produced semen of inferior quality. It was concluded that under the conditions of these experiments, the efficiency of the heat-dissipating properties of the scrotum alone decided the magnitude of the adverse effects of short periods of raised air temperature on the quality of the semen produced by Merino rams.

The Spermiogram of Mesterolone Treated West African Dwarf Bucks with Testicular Degeneration

“…The reduction in semen characteristics such as mass activity, percentage progressive sperm motility, live/dead cell ratio and sperm cell concentration (Spermatozoa/ml) in all the bucks during scrotal insulation was in agreement with previous findings (Austin et al, 1961, Moule and Waites, 1963, Ajala et al, 2001) that elevated testicular temperature will affect normal sperm characteristics. Mieusset and Bujan, (1995) reported that increased testicular heat usually drives towards rapid shutdown of cellular activities which is often the cause of testicular degeneration and this agrees with results of this study since testicular temperature which 0 reached 43.5 C caused testicular degeneration responsible for changes in semen physical characteristics such as color and viscosity.…”

The Effect of Seasons on the Sperm Dimensions of Buffalo Bulls

“…A decrease in the proportion of unstained spermatozoa with an increase in air temperature and humidity is expected in view of several reports including those of Waites & Setchell (1964), and Moule & Waites (1963 …”

Parâmetros escroto-testiculares e de sêmen em caprinos adultos submetidos à insulação escrotal

“…Esse aumento de temperatura leva a sérias conseqüên-cias para a qualidade do sêmen e subseqüentemente para a fecundação e a sobrevivência embrionária, interferindo diretamente sobre os resultados de fertilidade ao parto (Moule & Waites, 1963;Smith, 1971;Mucciolo et al, 1974;Cózer et al, 1979;Kishore & Rao, 1983;Mieusset et al, 1992).…”