Research Article
Testicular and Related Size Evaluations in Nigerian Sahel Goats with Optimal Cauda Epididymal Sperm Reserve
Table 1
Age-related variations in body weights, testicular and epididymal size estimates, and sperm counts in Nigerian Sahel goats.
| Parameters | Age (months) | All goats () | Range (Min.–Max.) | 18 () | 24 () | 30 () |
| Body weight (kg) | 14.00 ± 1.13a | 16.67 ± 2.82b | 18.74 ± 2.29c | 17.04 ± 2.99 | 12.00–25.00 | Sperm cell count (×109) | | | | | | Cauda epididymal | 1.68 ± 0.31a | 1.68 ± 0.38a | 2.34 ± 0.80b | 1.94 ± 0.67 | 1.12–4.66 | Testicular | 0.14 ± 0.10a | 0.15 ± 0.01a | 0.27 ± 0.20b | 0.23 ± 0.30 | 0.03–1.88 | Scrotal size | | | | | | Length (cm) | 8.39 ± 0.68a | 9.66 ± 2.32b | 9.89 ± 0.61b | 9.29 ± 0.91 | 7.50–11.00 | Circumference (cm) | 17.82 ± 0.67a | 18.87 ± 1.22b | 19.91 ± 1.01c | 19.07 ± 1.29 | 17.00–21.80 | Testicular size | | | | | | Gonadosomatic index (g/kg) | 2.85 ± 0.38a | 3.43 ± 0.67b | 3.98 ± 0.41c | 3.51 ± 0.69 | 2.00–4.50 | Weight (g) | 39.58 ± 5.73a | 56.30 ± 11.26b | 74.34 ± 7.65c | 59.90 ± 16.10 | 31.40–86.20 | Longitudinal length (cm) | 8.94 ± 0.68a | 10.02 ± 1.07b | 11.13 ± 0.79c | 10.23 ± 1.20 | 7.80–12.90 | Mid-circumference (cm) | 10.23 ± 0.65a | 11.36 ± 0.87b | 12.71 ± 0.62c | 11.57 ± 1.30 | 9.10–13.70 | Epididymal size | | | | | | Weight (g) | 6.46 ± 1.17a | 8.15 ± 1.53b | 10.11 ± 0.69c | 8.57 ± 1.82 | 4.60–11.70 | Epididymal-testicular weight ratio (g/g) | 0.16 ± 0.02a | 0.15 ± 0.02a | 0.13 ± 0.01b | 0.15 ± 0.02 | 0.11–0.19 | Epididymosomatic index (g/kg) | 0.46 ± 0.08a | 0.49 ± 0.10ab | 0.54 ± 0.05b | 0.51 ± 0.08 | 0.28–0.64 |
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Means ± standard deviation with different superscripts are significantly different ().
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