ONSET OF PUBERTY OF RAM LAMBS

N. Metodiev, T. Ivanova., E. Raicheva

Abstract: The aim of the present study was to establish the onset of puberty of ram lambs from Synthetic Population Bulgarian Milk (SPBM) and crosses (SPBM x Awassi) and also to evaluate their main parameters of semen – volume of ejaculate, concentration of spermatozoa and its motility. The study was carried out with 12 ram lambs (5 – SPBM and 7 - crosses. The study started. when the ram lambs were 4 months old and ended when they were 7 months old. The scrotum circumference was measured monthly. When the ram lambs were 7 months old. 3 ram lambs by each group were chose for sperm collection and evaluation. Male ram lambs and crosses were reached puberty at the age of 7 months, because of their manifestation of sexual activity and sperm production. The age of ram lambs influenced significantly (F = 18.33; P<0.001) the scrotum circumference, as the mean value at 7 months old was 29.25 cm. The concentration of spermatozoa and motility of sperm were significantly higher to crosses -1402.73 vs. 825.88 million/ml (P<0.001) and 80% vs. 51.76% (P<0.01). Only the volume of ejaculates were similar and even a little higher for SPBM ram lambs– 0.52 ml vs. 0.43 ml. Also, we established great in¬dividual differences between studied ram lambs about semen parameters. which gave us reason to recommend obligatory testing of ram lambs. if they will be use earlier for mating.

Keywords: Puberty; ram lams; semen evaluation

Date published: 2017-03-15