Seasonal Changes in the Semen of Rams

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Abstract
Semen collected from six Suffolk, one Hampshire, and one Rambouillet ram with either an electroejaculator or artificial vagina showed similar seasonal changes in volume of ejaculate, spermatozoa concentration, motility, percentage live spermatozoa, percentage abnormal spermatozoa, and fructose and citric acid concentration. One Rambouillet ram showed a reversed seasonal pattern in fructose concentration. The seasonal changes in the characteristics of the semen were associated with seasonal changes in light and maximum daily temperature. Injections of testosterone in one ram increased fructose concentration in the semen. Chorionic gonadotropin had no effect on fructose concentration. The seasonal effects associated with high temperature affected the spermatogenic function of the testis without changing fructose concentration in the semen. Copyright © . .