title: Seasonal variation in the correlation of testicular and epididymal weight-dimensions in the red Sokoto goat and white Yankassa ram.
abstract: A correlative study of testicular weight (TW), length (TL), diameter (TD), epididymal weight (EW) and cauda epididymal weight (CEW) in adult red Sokoto goat and white Yankassa ram during the dry and wet seasons in Kano City, Nigeria was undertaken. The data was analyzed by Pearson's product of moment correlation coefficient and the results showed that TW maintained a highly significant correlation with TL, TD, TW and CEW in the ram, and goat during the wet season (p < 0.01), but non-significant correlation with TL and TD during the dry season (p > 0.05). This suggests that there is a seasonal variation in the dimensions of the reproductive organs of the animals and that during the breeding season (wet season) testicular size and weight are intimately correlated. During the wet season, the reproductive performance of these animals may be assessed by measuring their testicular size and will be very useful in animal husbandry.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
authors.forename: P U
authors.initials: PU
authors.lastname: Nwoha
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004822:Epididymis / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D006041:Goats / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size; D012621:Seasons; D012756:Sheep / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D013737:Testis / Q000033:anatomy & histology*