Characteristics of libido and testosterone concentrations of Bali polled and horned Bulls

Abstract

Abstract Bali cattle as one of Indonesia’s native cattle have horns basically, both male and female. However, in its development, Bali cattle without horns have been found and known as polled. Bali polled is cattle whose horns do not grow naturally. The objective of this study was to determine the characteristics of libido and the concentration of testosterone in Bali polled and horned bulls. The samples were 8 individuals (4 polled and 4 horned) with an age between 3-8 years. Libido characteristics were measured by recording the time the bull first fondled the cow until ejaculate and analyzing the testosterone concentration using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. The collected data were analyzed by an independent sample T-Test. The results of this study indicated that the time required for a polled bull from fondling the female to ejaculation was longer (P<0.05) compared to horned (7.45±2.51 vs 2.42±0.60 minutes). While the testosterone concentration was not significantly different (P>0.05) 6.94±2.43 ng/mL vs 3.74±1.34 ng/mL although showed a higher tendency for the horned bull at 3.2 ng/mL. In conclusion, the polled bull took a longer time from fondling the female to ejaculation compared to horned, while the concentration of the hormone testosterone was equal. However, libido characteristics have a positive correlation with the testosterone concentration with a correlation coefficient of 0.805.