The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between testicular echotexture and seminal quality, in addition to evaluate the testicular parenchyma echogenicity pattern in young Montana bulls classified as sound and unsound for breeding. Fifty-two young Montana Tropical Compound bulls from 22 to 33 months of age were used. The animals were previously evaluated by breeding soundness evaluation and thereafter divided into two groups of breeding soundness classes: 1 = 16 animals sound for breeding; 2 = 36 animals unsound for breeding by means of physical and morphological analysis of semen. All animals underwent an ultrasound examination of the testes, and the images were analyzed with the software "Image J". ANOVA was used for statistical analysis, to determine the effect of groups in relation to testicular measurements, physical and morphological semen features and ultrasound pixel analysis. There was a difference between scrotal circumference between classes, with 39.7±2.1 cm and 37.3±3.1 cm for sound and unsound animals, respectively. Regarding testicular echotexture, mean values for the pixel intensity were 95.7 and 94.0 for sound and unsound animals for breeding, respectively, with no difference between the classes. None of the studied parameters were correlated with each other, indicating that the quantification of the pixel intensity in testicular echotexture was not effective in determining the degree of sexual maturity in Montana Tropical Compound bulls.

Aiming to determine the relationship between the frequency of testicular shape and the andrological aspects in young Nellore bulls, 18,676 animals were assessed. All andrological examinations were performed between the years 2000 and 2008. Animals were classified as able for breeding, able for breeding in natural mating system, unable for breeding and discarded. The testicular shape was classified as long, fairly long, oval-long, spherical-oval, and spherical. The analysis of Pearson correlations was performed for testicular shape with scrotal circumference, testicular volume, progressive motility, sperm vigor, major defects, minor defects and total defects. Testicles with oval shape prevailed (99.61%). It was obseved that 76.34; 66.34; 64.34; 58.33 and 50.00% of the animals were classified as sound for breeding for shapes long, fairly long, oval-long, spherical-oval, and spherical, respectively. Correlations between testicular shape with scrotal circumference, testicular volume, progressive motility, sperm vigor, major, minor and total defects were 0.26; 0.08; 0.00; 0.11; -0.02; 0.02 and -0.01, respectively. Testicular shape had no influence upon the andrological examination results. Testicles of long shape were prevalent within the population.

Objetivou-se determinar a idade à puberdade e maturidade sexual e sua relação com peso corporal e mensurações testiculares em tourinhos da raça Simental criados sob regime extensivo em clima tropical. Utilizaram-se 44 tourinhos com 1 a 30 meses de idade. As mensurações corporais e testiculares foram feitas mensalmente e os ejaculados coletados quinzenalmente, a partir dos seis meses de idade, utilizando-se o método de eletroejaculação. Observou-se idade à puberdade aos 13,42 ± 3,02 meses e maturidade sexual aos 21,43 ± 6,6 meses de idade, com peso corporal e perímetro escrotal, respectivamente, de 324,2 ± 23,7 kg e 26,90 ± 1,41 cm para a puberdade e 360 ± 69,04 kg e 34,88 ± 3,9 cm para maturidade sexual. Este estudo revelou idade tardia para a cronologia dos eventos reprodutivos, com relação direta do tipo de manejo adotado.

The objective of this study was to determine the age at puberty and sexual maturity and its relationship with body weight and testicular measurements in Simmental young bulls raised under pasture conditions in a tropical climate. Forty-four young bulls at 1 to 30 months of age were used. Body and testicular measurements were made monthly and ejaculates collected fortnightly, from six months of age by using the method of electroejaculation. Age at puberty was 13.42 ± 3.02 months and sexual maturity was observed at 21.43 ± 6.6 months of age, with body weight and scrotal circumference of 324.2 ± 23.7 kg and 26.90 ± 1.41 cm for puberty and 360 ± 69.04 kg and 34.88 ± 3.9 cm to sexual maturity, respectively. This study found late age to the timing of reproductive events, with direct relation to the type of management adopted.

O objetivo neste estudo foi avaliar diferentes osmolaridades e tempos de incubação durante o teste hiposmótico e suas correlações com a congelabilidade do sêmen de touros zebuínos. Foram utilizados 30 ejaculados de seis touros adultos da raça Nelore. No sêmen in natura foi feita avaliação física e morfológica, classificação quanto à coloração supravital e o teste hiposmótico. No teste hiposmótico foram utilizadas soluções com osmolaridades de 60, 100, 150 mOsm/kg e água destililada (19 mOsm/kg) om 15, 30 e 60 minutos de período de incubação a 37ºC. Após a criopreservação, as amostras foram descongeladas e avaliadas quanto aos testes hiposmótico, à coloração supravital, ao teste de termorresistência lento e à coloração fluorescente. Não foram detectadas interações entre os tempos e as osmolaridades. Não houve diferenças para os valores médios de espermatozoides reativos incubados nas soluções com diferentes osmolaridades para o sêmen congelado/ descongelado. Apenas a utilização de água destilada determinou diferença nos valores médios obtidos no teste hiposmótico realizado no sêmen in natura. Não houve diferença entre os valores médios de espermatozoides reativos incubados com diferentes tempos de incubação, tanto no sêmen in natura como no sêmen congelado/descongelado. O teste hiposmótico pode ser realizado com 15 minutos de incubação, e com uma solução que varie a osmolaridade de 60 a 150 mOsm/kg, tanto no sêmen in natura como no sêmen congelado/descongelado.

The objective of this study was to evaluate different osmolarities and incubation times during the hiposmotic test and its correlation with cryopreservation of semen of Zebu bulls. It was used 30 ejaculates from six mature Nelore bulls. It was performed physical and morphological evaluation, supravital staining classification and hiposmotic test in the fresh semen. In the hiposmotic test, solutions with osmolarities of 60, 100, 150 mOsm/kg and distilled water (19 mOsm/kg) were used at 15, 30 and 60 minutes of incubation at 37ºC. After cryopreservation, the samples were thawed and evaluated for hiposmotic test, supravital staining, slow termoresistance test and for fluorescent stain. No interactions were detected between incubation times and solution osmolarities. There were no differences in average values of reactive sperm incubated in different solutions with different osmolarities for frozen/thawed semen. Only the use of distilled water determined differences in the average values obtained in the hiposmotic test performed in fresh semen. There was no difference between the mean values of reactive spermatozoa incubated with different incubation time in both fresh and frozen/thawed semen. Hiposmotic test can be accomplished in 15 minutes of incubation time and with a solution which varies osmolarity from 60 to 150 mOsm/kg in both fresh and frozen/thawed semen.

Os objetivos neste estudo foram verificar se a própolis e o ácido ascórbico têm efeito sobre a integridade da membrana plasmática dos espermatozoides de caprinos e investigar o potencial desses antioxidantes no uso de meios diluidores de criopreservação de sêmen caprino. Foram utilizados cinco bodes adultos das raças Alpina (n = 2) e Saanen (n = 3). Após a coleta de sêmen, realizaram-se o exame físico do sêmen e morfológico dos espermatozoides, o teste supravital e o teste hiposmótico. Em seguida, o sêmen fresco foi diluído com o diluidor Bioxcell® (controle); Bioxcell® + 0,25% de extrato liofilizado de própolis; Bioxcell® + 0,5% de extrato liofilizado de própolis; Bioxcell® + 0,05% de ácido ascórbico; ou Bioxcell® + 0,25% de ácido ascórbico. Após as diluições finais, foram avaliados a motilidade e o vigor espermático obtidos com cada diluidor e posteriormente o sêmen foi submetido a envase, resfriamento e congelamento. No sêmen fresco, os aspectos físicos e morfológicos e os resultados dos testes supravital e hiposmótico não diferiram entre os animais nem entre raças. As médias gerais de motilidade e vigor espermático e dos testes supravital e hiposmótico obtidos logo após o descongelamento e após 3 horas de teste de termorresistência diferiram entre si, de modo que o diluidor contendo ácido ascórbico e o controle foram similares e superiores àqueles contendo própolis. O ácido ascórbico mantém a integridade estrutural da membrana dos espermatozoides durante o processo de criopreservação, bem como sua viabilidade após o teste de termorresistência, e pode ser uma alternativa na composição de diluentes para criopreservação de sêmen caprino; a própolis não é eficaz na manutenção da integridade e da viabilidade espermática pós-descongelamento e é tóxica aos espermatozoides nas concentrações de 0,25 e 0,5%.

The objectives of this study were to verify whether propolis and ascorbic acid have an effect on plasmatic membrane integrity of goat spermatozoa and investigate the potential of these antioxidants in the use of goats spermatozoa cryopreservation extenders. Five adult boars were used of the Alpine (n = 2) and Saanen (n = 3) breeds. After semen collection, the evaluation consisted of the physical and morphological exam, live and dead cells (supravital test) and hyposmotic swelling test. Afterwards, the fresh semen was diluted with the Bioxcell® extender (control); Bioxcell® + 0.25% freeze dried propolis extract); Bioxcell® + 0.5% freeze dried propolis extract); Bioxcell® + 0.05% ascorbic acid) or Bioxcell® + 0.25% ascorbic acid). After final dilutions, the sperm motility and vigor were assessed obtained in each extender, and then the semen was sealed, cooled and frozen. In fresh semen, the physical and morphological aspects and the results of the supravital test and hyposmotic swelling test did not differ between animals or breeds. The general means of the sperm motility and vigor, supravital test and hyposmotic swelling test obtained immediately after thawing and after three hours of heat resistence test were different, so that the extender with ascorbic acid and the control were similar and higher than the extenders containing propolis. The ascorbic acid maintained the structural integrity of the spermatozoa membrane during the cryopreservation process and its viability after the heat resistance test, and may be an alternative in extender composition for cryopreservation of goat semen; the propolis was not effective in maintaining sperm integrity and viability after thawing and was toxic to spermatozoa at concentrations of 0.25 and 0.5%.