Testicular thermography and seminal quality in bucks submitted to intermittent scrotal insulation in a tropical climate

Abstract

Testicular degeneration is highly prevalent in ruminants reared in a tropical climate in Brazil. It is therefore necessary to assess semen quality periodically in this animals. The objective of this work was to define standards images (thermograms) by using infrared thermography (TIV), associated with computerized seminal evaluation (CASA) to predict testicular alterations in a non-invasive way. For this, 10 goat males were selected, and testis insulated to evaluate the seminal quality and testicular superficial temperature recorded in four different moments: before, during and early and later after insulation. Semen collections and rectal temperatures (TR) and superficial testis (TS) by TIV were assessed for 60 days after insulation. Data were expressed in media and standard errors and analysis of variation (ANOVA) with comparison between the moments using Tukey test at 5% of probability. Changes in seminal quality followed the same standard of changes in TS, with no influence of the latter one on rectal temperature. The mean testicular temperature increased more than 2 degrees above the normal mean testis temperature, with significant increasing (p <0.05) in the moment during in relation to the moments before and post insulation, and concomitantly reduction in seminal parameters and almost normal return to 60 days post insulation. These changes in testis surface temperatures associated with semen analysis allowed to get patterns images of testicular degeneration, permitting to predict by TIV testis alterations for later assess of seminal quality.