Reproductive Characteristics of Chios Ram Lambs During the First Year of Life in Rural Farm Conditions

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine some of the reproductive characteristics of young Chios rams. For the purposes of this study, the data was obtained and used from 30 Chios ram lambs born in 2009 between the ages of 90-360 days. The minimum and maximum values of the testicular diameter (cm) and length (cm), scrotal circumference (cm), scrotal length (cm), testicular volume (cm3) of the Chios ram lambs were 1.59-7.30, 3.05-14.23, 12.00-37.50, 7.00-32.00, 17.39-771.44, respectively. Phenotypic correlations between all testis characteristics were found to be statistically significant (P 0.05). The testicular diameter and volume, scrotal circumference and scrotal length enlarged related with positively the rate of the sperm motility. As a result, estimating the rate of live spermatozoa of the ram lambs by taking morphological measurements at an early age can be useful. Therefore, this information was vulnerable in indirect selection programs.