BELHAMITI BELKACEM TAHAR1,2,4, AMAR AIT AMRANE1,2; SI MOHAMMED HAMMOUDI1,2; SIDI MOHAMMED AMMAR SELLES1,2; AHMED RèDHA BENIA1,2; EL AID MAMMERI; RACHID KAIDI3,4
1 Ibn Khaldoun University, Veterinary Science Institute, Department of Animal Health, Tiaret, Algeria
2 Ibn-Khaldoun University of Tiaret, Laboratory of Research on Local Animal Products, 14000 Tiaret, Algeria
3 Saad Dahlab University, Veterinary Science Institute, BP 270 Blida, Algeria
4 Saad Dahlab University, Laboratory of Animal Reproductive Biotechnologies, BP 270 Blida, Algeria
Belhamiti, T.B., A. Ait Amrane, S.M. Hammoudi, S.M.A. Selles, A.R. Benia, E.A. Mammeri and R. Kaidi, 2018. Semen parameters and their seasonal variations of local Arbia breed bucks in Western Algeria. Bulg. J. Agric. Sci., 24 (3): 460–466
Our study aims to investigate semen parameters of Arbia breed goats living in western Algeria. This experiment was conducted at the University experimental farm in Tiaret on one year. Semen of three bucks were collected once a week using an artificial vagina. Semen parameters seem to be influenced by season: ejaculation volume, sperm motility and sperm viability (1.1 ± 0.39 ml; 81.79 ± 13.42%; 73.73 ± 9.07%, respectively) were high in autumn and summer and low during spring (0.11 ± 0.14 ml, 71.07 ± 11.28%, and 52.38 ± 20.34%, respectively). This difference between seasons is mainly significant when comparing autumn and spring (p < 0.05). Semen concentration followed an opposite trend to that of other parameters, it is high during winter and spring (7.87 ± 2.38 × 109 spz (spermatozoon) / ml, 7.61±1.81× 109 spz / ml, respectively) and low in autumn (6.4 ± 2.62 × 109 spz / ml), with no significant difference between seasons (p > 0.05). The seminal pH fluctuates with high values in winter and summer and low in spring and autumn. In conclusion, Arbia breed bucks at latitude of 35°15’N display seasonal variation in sperm production with a peak in autumn and minimum level in spring.