Study on grosstesticular abnormalities of rams and bucks at Luna export abattoir, Modjo, Ethiopia

Abstract

A study was conducted at Modjo, Luna export abattoir on 505 bucks belonging to four native breeds and 253 rams of two native breeds of Ethiopia to determine the type and the incidence of lesions in the testis and epididymis. The animals were selected from the flock for slaughter using stratified random sampling based on breed. Testis and epididymis of various age groups of animals were inspected after careful identification of the animal. During the study, various abnormalities in testis and the epididymis were observed grossly. Testicular atrophy was the most frequent genital abnormality encountered in both species followed by epididymitis in bucks and sperm granuloma in rams. The incidence of sperm granuloma was higher (p<0.01) in rams than in bucks. In rams, the incidence of testicular atrophy (p<0.01) and epididymitis (p<0.05) was significantly associated with age. Breed type significantly (p<0.05) affected the incidence of sperm granuloma in rams, being higher in Adal rams than in Black Head Somali. In bucks none of the abnormalities observed were significantly associated with breed (p>0.05). Generally 17% of total examined animals were unfit for breeding as they have genital abnormalities of unknown etiology. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that testicular atrophy, epididymitis, sperm granulomas and cryptorchidism of unknown etiologies dominated reproductive pathologies in bucks and rams.