RELATIONSHIPS AMONG SOCIAL HIERARCHY, BODY WEIGHT, CONFORMATION, AND SEXUAL BEHAVIORDURING GROWTH PERIOD OF CREOLEGOATS BUCKS - Cecilia Zapata-Campos; Yessica E. Vázquez-Martínez; Jorge Alva-Pérez; Fernando Sánchez-Dávila; Luz Y. Peña-Avelino (Journal of Animal and Plant Sciences, 2024)
The objective of this study was to investigate possible associations between body weight, conformation, testicular biometry, semen characteristics, and sexual behavior of young Creole bucks with high (HSH), medium (MSH), and low (LSH) social hierarchy (SH). A total of 15 young Creole bucks, aged 2-3-month-old with mean body weight of14.6 ± 3.3 kg were used. Social behavior frequency was analyzed by chi-square test. Body weight, live body measurement, testosterone and semen characteristics were analyzed using a mixed-effects model. Pearson correlation coefficients was obtained for body weight, linear body measures, indexes, testicular and semen characteristics, sexual behavior, and social hierarchy. The HSH bucks presented more aggression events with contact (P≤0.05). SH had a significant effect on live weight (22.5 kg), anamorphosis index (72.9), compactness index (37.37), and live body measurement, with HSH and MSH bucks being superior to LSH bucks. Scrotal circumference (21.6 cm), testicular biometry, and odor (2.5) were higher in HSH and MSH bucks than in LSH bucks (P≤0.05). The ejaculate volume (0.52 mL), spermatozoa concentration (1.06 million/ml), and mass motility (2.3) were higher in HSH bucks than in LSH bucks (P≤0.05). SH influenced libido (34.9%), mount latency (68.7 s), and response times (56.5 s); HSH bucks had more consummatory sexual behavior (36.5 %)than LSH bucks (P≤0.05). Significant (P≤0.05) correlations were observed between live body measurement, testicular and sexual characteristics to SH. It was concluded that young Creole bucks with medium and high social hierarchyhad better testicular characteristics, semen quality, higher frequency of consummatory sexual behavior, and higher linear body measurement than Creole bucks with low social hierarchy.
Keywords: journal article; conformation traits; libido; social dominance; semen characteristics