Manal Abdel Wahid Salim, Babiker Abdel Atti Elsharif, Ahmed Abdel Gadir Adam, Sharafeldeen A. Makawi,
The Relationship Between Body Weight and Testicular Measurements in Kabbashi Eco-Type Desert Rams,
Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances,
Volume 13,Issue 10,
2014,
Pages 633-636,
ISSN 1680-5593,
javaa.2014.633.636,
(https://makhillpublications.co/view-article.php?doi=javaa.2014.633.636)
Abstract: Ten Kabbashi rams were used to investigate the relationship
between their body weights and testicular measurements. The rams were purchased
at 7 months of age and maintained under uniform condition of feeding and management.
Body weights and testicular measurements were taken once every month. The testicular
measurements (cm) and body weights (kg) were subjected to linear {Y = a+bX}
and logarithmic {Y = b0+b1 ln(X)} regressions where, Y
is the testicular measurement and X is the body weight, a and b are constants
denoting the intercept and the regression coefficient, respectively. There was
a strong and positive correlation between testicular measurements and body weight
in Kabbashi rams. The average live body weights increased from 22.95 kg at 7
months of age to reach 64.31 kg by 28 months. The average testicular circumference
increased from 20 cm at 7 months to 34.5 cm at 20 months of age. Corresponding
changes in the testicular length were found to be 12.70 and 20.81 cm at 7 and
20 months of age, respectively. The linear regression coefficient for the testicular
length and testicular circumference on body weight were 0.214 and 0.287 and
the coefficients of determination (R2) were 0.822 and 0.782. Due
to the strong correlation between body weight and testicular measurements, body
measurements can be used to select Kabbashi rams for breeding programs. However,
further studies are needed to determine the relationship between these subjective
morphological criteria and the actual fertility and semen quality in Kabbashi
rams.
Keywords: fertility;Body weight;fertility;rams;testicular measurement