Seasonal variations in the histometric characteristics of the reproductive organs of pubertal West African dwarf bucks in their native tropical environment

Abstract

As ambient temperature and humidity are high all year round within clearly defined dry and rainy seasons in our humid tropical environment, we evaluated the effects of season on the histometric characteristics of the reproductive organs of pubertal West African dwarf bucks using 8 healthy animals. There were no significant differences (p>0.05) between, the rainy and dry seasons in the basement membrane of the testes, seminiferous tubular diameter, and round spermatid nuclear diameter. There were also similarities (p>0.05) between the seasons in epididymal luminal diameters, epididymal epithelial heights as well as in Leydig/sertoli cell ratio and sertoli cell index. Quadratic regression analyses showed that all the histometric characteristics of the testes are highly predictable from the live weights of the animals. It is concluded from these results that the WAD goat would not have a restricted breeding season in it native tropical environment. Young sires could therefore be selected early in life for planned improvement programmes in research institutions and breeding centers thus providing farmers with quicker returns for their investments.