title: Daily sperm production and testicular morphometry in goats according to external scrotal conformation.
abstract: The present study aimed to compare testicular histology and the testicular cell population as well as spermatogenic efficiency in goats with different scrotal conformations. Eighteen goats were divided into 3 groups: Group I - goats without bipartition of the scrotum, Group II - animals with bipartition of the scrotum up to 50% of the testicular length, Group III - goats with scrotal bipartition more than 50% of the testicular length. In goats in Groups I, II and III, the values for the volume density of seminiferous epithelium were 68.9 ± 0.6%, 71.5 ± 2.8% and 73.4 ± 4.7% (P<0.05), the height of the seminiferous epithelium were 60.2 ± 4.9 μm, 61.0 ± 5.0 μm and 73.1 ± 6.6 μm (P<0.05), total length of seminiferous tubules found for Groups I, II and III were 2091.9 ± 27 m, 2172.5 ± 24.1 m, and 2340.1 ± 14 m (P<0.05), number of Sertoli and Leydig cells were 1.8 ± 0.4×10(9) and 1.4 ± 0.1×10(9), 2.2 ± 0.4 and 2.2 ± 0.7×10(9), and 2.5 ± 0.1 10(9) and 2.3 ± 0.5 10(9) (P<0.05) and daily sperm production observed were 2.1 ± 0.3×10(9), 2.8 ± 0.4×10(9), and 3.1 ± 0.7×10(9) (P<0.05). In conclusion, goats with greater scrotal bipartition have a greater capacity to produce reproductive cells that is reflected in a greater reproductive potential.
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Piaui, Campus Profa Cinobelina Elvas, Bairro Novo Horizonte, Bom Jesus, Brazil. machadojunior2@yahoo.com.br
authors.forename: A A N Machado
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Junior
authors.forename: A C Assis
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Neto
authors.forename: A Sousa
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Junior
authors.forename: D J A
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Menezes
authors.forename: F R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Alves
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Sousa
authors.forename: M A M
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Carvalho
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil; D002452:Cell Count / Q000662:veterinary; D006041:Goats / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D006651:Histocytochemistry / Q000662:veterinary; D007985:Leydig Cells / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D012611:Scrotum / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D012708:Sertoli Cells / Q000502:physiology; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000502:physiology*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013737:Testis / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D014329:Tropical Climate