PHYSIO-BIOCHEMICAL CHANGES IN THE MALE DROMEDARY CAMELS DURING BREEDING (RUTTING) AND NON-BREEDING SEASON

A.E.B. Zeidan and H.E. Abbas1
Animal Production Research Institute, Dokki, Giza, Egypt
1Department of Biochemistry, Animal Health Research Institute, Dokki, Giza, Egypt

ABSTRACT

The results showed that seminal pH value, total erythrocyte count (TEC), calcium and potassium concentrations were insignificantly higher during breeding (rutting) than non-breeding season. Semen colour was creamish white during breeding and watery white during non-breeding season. Testes weight (gm), testis tone firmer (score), testicular volume (cm3), scrotal circumference (cm3), percentage of sperm motility, sperm-cell concentration (x 106/ml), total leucocyte count (TLC), lactic dehydrogenase (LDH), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), inorganic phosphorus and testosterone concentrations were significantly (p<0.01) higher during breeding than non-breeding season. However, dead spermatozoa, sperm abnormalities, acrosomal integrity percentages, haemoglobin, packed cell volume, glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT), acid phosphatase (ACP), sodium and oestradiol-17β concentrations were significantly (p<0.01) higher during non-breeding than breeding season. The histopathological status of the testes showed full complement of germinal elements, more developed and consisted of mature seminiferous tubules with mature spermatocytes during breeding than non-breeding season. Penetrating ability of the camels spermatozoa into she-camel cervical mucus was insignificantly better during breeding than non-breeding season.
Keywords : Breeding (rutting) and non-breeding season, male camel, physio-biochemical changes