Efeito de diferentes nÃveis de energia metabolizÃvel sobre a biometria testicular de cordeiros, da raÃa Santa InÃs, em crescimento / Effect of different levels of metabolizible energy on the testicular biometry of growing Santa InÃs lambs

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2006

RESUMO

This study was carried out at the Ovine Production Sector of the Federal University of Lavras, Minas Gerais, to evaluate the testicular biometry of growing Santa InÃs lambs fed with different levels of energy, by the increasing level of neutral detergent fibre (NDF). Sixty four Santa InÃs lambs were allocated to: Diet A - 8,67; Diet B - 17,34; Diet C - 26,01 and Diet D - 34,68% forage NDF. Four animals of each treatment were slaughtered at the following ages: 43, 83, 123 and 173 days. Just before slaughtering, the animals were weighted and the measurements of scrotal circumference were taken. After slaughtering, the testicles were removed from the scrotal bag and separated from its respective epididimous. The testicles were separately weighted and its width and thickness were taken using a paquimeter. The value of the testicular dimensions was obtained multiplying the length by the width by the thickness of the testicle. The statistical analyses were done using the total weights of the testicles (right and left) and the total of the dimensions of the testicles (right and left). The animals which consumed larger amount of energy presented better results for testicular biometry than those which consumed smaller amount of energy. The high correlations found among testicular biometry, metabolizible energy intake and live weight, considering all the animals, indicate that the development testicular is highly dependent of the corporal development and the amount of metabolizible energy intake. Even from 43 days of age the scrotal circumference could be used to predict the testicular weight and dimensions, because of the high correlations found among these variables, this allows selection of sire at young ages. The live weight showed to be more efficient to estimate the scrotal circumference than the age of the animals. The prediction of the weight and dimensions of the testicles through the scrotal circumference showed to be more efficient than the age and live weight of the animals.

ASSUNTO(S)

scrotal circumference reproduÃÃo zootecnia ovino circunferÃncia escrotal nutrition ovine development testicular reproduction desenvolvimento testicular nutriÃÃo

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