Comparative and Pathological Study of the Testis and Epididymis in Rams, Bucks and Bulls of Algeria

The objective of present study was to determine the prevalence of testicular pathology in three important domestic species in Algeria and thus show their relationship to infertility in our farms. The study describes the incidence of testicular pathology in apparently healthy young and adult slaughtered rams, bucks and bulls. Out of 886 animals examined (450 rams, 285 bucks and 151 bulls), 59 (13,11%) had testicular lesions. 596 were aged less than one year old and 290 were aged more than one year old. The incidence of testicular lesions in rams and bucks was respectively 8.44 and 5.26%. It was about 3.97% in bulls. Testicular hypoplasia was the most common lesion occurring in rams (3.33%) and bucks (2.10%). The testis was disproportionately smaller than the epididymis. The second most common lesion found was cryptorchidism, 3.11% in rams and 2.10% in bucks. The other lesions detected in rams were orchitis and epididymitis (1.33%), varicocele (0.44%) and epididymal aplasia (0.22%). The inflammatory changes (orchitis and epididymitis) were observed in bulls as first common testicular lesion (3.31%) and the second one was hypoplasia (0.66%). The prevalence of testicular pathology identified in our study seems important in rams compared to goats and bulls.