Seminal degeneration associated with chorioptic mange of the scrotum of rams.
The effect of scrotal mange (Chorioptes bovis) on semen quality was assessed in a flock of rams during an outbreak of chorioptic mange and in rams with experimentally induced chorioptic mange. Semen quality of 21 rams with chorioptic mange lesions involving less than 10 cm2 of the scrotum was indistinguishable from that of control rams. Conversely, all 10 rams examined with lesions covering more than a third of the scrotum had poor semen quality. Between these 2 extremes some rams with relatively severe scrotal mange had semen of good quality while others with relatively minor scrotal lesions had semen of poor quality. The seminal degeneration and regeneration associated with the development and spontaneous cure of scrotal mange were very similar to that seen following experimental elevation of testicular temperature.
D000818:Animals; D008297:Male; D008924:Mite Infestations / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D012611:Scrotum / Q000473:pathology; D012661:Semen; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013094:Spermatozoa; D013737:Testis / Q000473:pathology