Effects of scrotal insulation on testis size and semen criteria in Santa Ines hairy sheep raised in the State of Ceara, Northeast of Brazil

A study was conducted to determine the effect of heat stress on semen criteria and testis size in Santa Ines hairy rams, in the State of Ceara, Northeast of Brazil. The scrotum of eight adult rams was insulated for seven days. Animals were evaluated twice before insulation and, after insulation, at 12 different periods until 118 days. Scrotal insulation did not affect semen volume, but pH was increased after eight days, returning to normal values after 15 days. Sperm concentration was reduced eight days after insulation was removed and animals became azzospermic between 33 and 50 days. After 79 days, sperm concentration returned to values similar to those observed before treatment. Scrotal circumference (26.4 cm) decreased to 22.4 cm eight days after insulation and to 21 cm at 21 days, but returned to 24.9 cm after 50 days. Moreover, sperm motility and vigor were reduced right after insulation was removed and returned to normal profiles only after 90 days. Before treatment, there were 1.7% of sperm cells with primary defects and 9.9% with secondary defects. Right after insulation, sperm cells with primary defects increased to 3.6% and those with secondary defects, to 43.4%, and after eight days, these values increased to 8.4 and 60.4%, respectively. From 15 to 60 days, sperm cells with primary defects varied from 27.3 to 16.8%, while those with secondary defects showed only small variations (39.9 to 39%). At the end of the experiment (118 days after insulation), primary defects were reduced to 0.7%, but the percentage of cells with secondary defects was still high (24.4%). Therefore, heat stress caused temporary interruption of sperm production in the ram and sperm motility and secondary defects seemed to be the most sensitive criteria.