Age and seasonal changes in the morphomethric development of accessory glands of the West African Dwarf goat

Abstract

The effects of age and season of birth on the morphometric characteristics of the Vesicular, Cowper's and Ampulla glands were studies in 32 indigenous West Africa Dwarf (WAD) goats aged 1 12 months and 12 adults aged >12 months, in Ibadan. While the vesicular and Cowper's glands weight were highly significantly (p < 0.001) affected by age but not season of birth, the ampullae were stable with age and season of birth. Each of the glands accounted for less than 1% of the weight and tended to increased with age except the vesicular gland in the adults. Result suggest a closer relation in growth with age than season of birth.
This supports the non seasonality in breeding behaviour of tropical livestock.


KEY WORDS: Age, Season, Growth, Accessory, Glands.

[Global Jnl Agric Res Vol.1(2) 2002: 83-88]