Effect of unilateral orchiectomy on semen quality in bulls
Wolfe, D.F.; Hudson, R.S.; Carson, R.L.; Purohit, R.C.
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 186(12): 1291-1293
1985
ISSN/ISBN: 0003-1488 PMID: 4019286 Document Number: 256991
Inflammatory processes of the bull testicle are a common clinical entity. It is diffuclt to predict the long-term effects of conservative (nonsurgical) treatment of orchitis, periorchitis and epididymitis. When 1 testicle is inflamed, the heat generated affects the contralateral testicle. Reversibility of degenerative change depends upon the severity and duration of the insult. Abnormal morphologic changes of spermatozoa can appear as early as 2 days after the onset inflammation. The magnitude of the added insult of surgery has been unknown. Unilateral orchietomy was performed on 9 mature mixed-breed bulls with satisfactory semen quality to study the effect of the procedure on quality of semen from the contralateral testicle. Semen was collected by electroejaculation before surgery and on alternate days for 2 wk, the once weekly for 8 wk. Each sampling day, progressive motility and morphologic features of spermatozoa were determined, and scrotal thermograms were taken. The percentage of normal spermatozoa decreased significantly (P < 0.05)only on postoperative day 6. Progressive motility scores varied but at the end of the study there was no significant difference from preoperative values. Scrotal thermography revealed inflammation in the contralateral side of the scrotum, beginning 3 days after surgery, but the thermograms were normal in most bulls by 3 wk after surgery, and all thermograms were normal by 4 wk.