A comparison of some anatomical characteristics of male and female reproductive organs of the white Fulani and west African short horn cattle in Ghana: a short communication

Abstract

Testicular and ovarian sizes and dimensions are closely related to reproductive potentials of bulls and cows, respectively. This study compared sizes and dimensions of testes, ovaries, uteri and uterine horns of West African Short Horn (WASH) and White Fulani cattle in the Northern region of Ghana. A total of fifty male and fifty female full reproductive organs each of the White Fulani and WASH cattle were collected from the main Tamale abattoir in the Northern region. Data were analyzed by the generalized linear model of the General Statistics software. Most testicular parameters were greater for White Fulani than for WASH, except in younger bulls; testicular circumference of young bulls were not different (P = 0.249 and P = 0.339, respectively) between breeds but testicular weight was greater (P = 0.032) in White Fulani than WASH cattle. The greatest influence of androgens on the growth and development of reproductive organs is evident in adult than in younger bulls because prebuteral androgen outputs are not great enough to stimulate differences in the growth of reproductive organs and of receptor proteins for this androgen hence the lack of differences between breeds at a younger age. Except for the circumference of the ovaries (P = 0.462), most parts of the female reproductive organs were not different (P = 0.279) between breeds at the adult age, however, the length of the uterine horns (P = 0.007) and uteri (P = 0.015), and weight of the ovaries (P = 0.039) were longer and heavier, respectively for White Fulani heifers than for WASH heifers. The lack of difference between female reproductive organs of WASH and White Fulani at the adult age could be due to the confounding effects of the physiological state (follicular or luteal) of the ovaries depending on the oestrus cycle of the cow at the time measurements were taken. This study indicates that data on testicular sizes and dimensions of adult bulls and of uteri and uterine horns of heifer could be used to predict the differences between the breeding potential of the White Fulani and WASH cattle.

Key words: Length of uteri, testicular circumference, testicular weight