RT Journal Article
T1 Undernutrition reduces the body weight and testicular size of bucks exposed to long days but not their ability to stimulate reproduction of seasonally anestrous goats
A1 Delgadillo, J. A.
A1 Lemière, A.
A1 Guerrero Cervantes, M.
A1 Zarazaga Garcés, Luis Ángel
AB In semiarid conditions, feed is often scarce and variable with underfeeding being common; these factors can potentially inducefertility reductions in both sexes. Sexually active bucks are able to very efficiently fertilize out-of-season goats, but we do notknow whether underfeeding would reduce the ability of bucks to fertilize goats during these periods. Two experiments wereconducted to determine (i) testicular size and change of odor intensity of undernourished bucks exposed to long days and (ii) theability of these bucks to stimulate reproductive activity in seasonally anestrous goats. In experiment 1, bucks (n = 7) were fed1.5 times the normal maintenance requirements from September to May and formed the well-fed group. Another group of bucks(n = 7) were fed 0.5 times the maintenance requirements and formed the undernourished group. All bucks were subjected toartificially long days from 1 November to 15 January; this period was followed by a natural photoperiod until 30 May. Bodyweight, scrotal circumference and male odor intensity changes were determined every 2 weeks. In experiment 2, two groups offemale goats (n = 26 each) were exposed to well-fed (n = 2) or undernourished bucks (n = 2) on 31 March. Ovulations andpregnancy rates were determined by transrectal ultrasonography. In experiment 1, a treatment by time interaction was detectedfor BW, scrotal circumference and odor intensity changes (P < 0.001). The BWs of well-fed bucks were greater than those of theundernourished bucks from October to May (P < 0.01), as were the scrotal circumferences from December to March (P < 0.05)and odor intensities from February to May (P < 0.05). In experiment 2, the proportions of females that ovulated at least once(100% v. 96%) or those that were diagnosed as pregnant (85% v. 77%; P > 0.05) did not differ significantly between the goatsexposed to well-fed or undernourished bucks. The interval between the introduction of bucks and the onset of estrous behaviorwas shorter in goats exposed to well-fed bucks compared to the interval for those goats exposed to undernourished bucks(2.5 ± 0.2 v. 9.5 ± 0.6 days; P < 0.05). We conclude that undernourishment reduces the testicular size and odor intensityresponses in bucks exposed to long days, but that undernourished bucks are still able to stimulate reproductive activity inseasonally anestrous goats, as is also the case for well-fed bucks.
PB Elsevier
SN 1751-732X
YR 2020
FD 2020-12
LK http://hdl.handle.net/10272/19447
UL http://hdl.handle.net/10272/19447
LA eng
NO Delgadillo, J. A., Lemière, A., Guerrero Cervantes, M. ... Zarazaga Garcés, L. A. (2020). Undernutrition reduces the body weight and testicular size of bucks exposed to long days but not their ability to stimulate reproduction of seasonally anestrous goats. Animal, 14(12), 2562–2569. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/s1751731120001329
DS Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Huelva
RD 2 jun 2026