CHANGES IN SPERMIOGRAMS, BIOCHEMICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL INDICES FOLLOWING SUCCESSIVE ELECTROEJACULATION DURING DIFFERENT PERIODS OF THE DAY IN WEST AFRICAN DWARF BUCKS

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the changes that might occur in spermiograms, blood andphysiological indices following successive electroejaculation (EE) during different periods of the day.Twenty (20) West African Dwarf (WAD) bucks were grouped into four consisting of five bucks eachand ejaculated at 0900, 1200, 0300 and 0600Hrs for 3 successive days in a completely randomizeddesign. The results showed that progressive sperm motility, sperm concentration and mass activityfollowed similar trend and the values deteriorated with respect to elevated temperatures during semencollection periods (p<0.05). Also, primary abnormality increased with respect to elevated temperaturesduring semen collection periods (p<0.05). The results also showed that Testosterone, Na+,K+,GlucoseAlanine Aminotransferase (ALT), Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) and Aspartate Aminotransferase(AST) were similar irrespective of the periods of semen collection except cortisol that increased withrespect to the semen collection periods (p<0.05). The rectal temperature and pulse rate were not affected,irrespective of the period of the day bucks were ejaculated. The findings of this study indicatethat reduced ejaculate quality probably reflects stress stimuli arising from increased ambient temperature.Physiological traits in WAD goat is probably the adaptive mechanism evolved to cope with stressarising from elevated temperature.