Impact of Seasonal Variations, Age and Breed on Semen Microbial Load and its Association with Semen Quality in Prominent Indian Goat Breeds
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Authors
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Dr. Rajesh Kumar
9554188943
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Dr. A.K. Verma
College of Veterinary Science & Animal Husbandry Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture and Technology, Kumarganj, Ayodhya, UP-224229, India, Postal Code: 224229
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Dr. B. Singh
College of Veterinary Science & Animal Husbandry Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture and Technology, Kumarganj, Ayodhya, UP-224229, India, Postal Code: 224229
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Sushant Srivastava
Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture and Technology, Kumarganj, Ayodhya, UP-224229, India, Postal Code: 224229
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Kabir Alam
Ex-Guest Faculty, Department of Livestock Farm Complex, College of Veterinary Science & Animal Husbandry, Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture and Technology, Kumarganj, Ayodhya, UP-224229, India, Postal Code: 224229
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Sanjeev Kumar Verma
Department of Veterinary Gynaecology & obstetrics College of Veterinary Science & Animal Husbandry Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture and Technology, Kumarganj, Ayodhya, UP-224229, India, Postal Code: 224229
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Rajesh Kumar Verma
Department of Veterinary Clinical Complex College of Veterinary Science & Animal Husbandry Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture and Technology, Kumarganj, Ayodhya, UP-224229, India, Postal Code: 224229
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Saurabh
7. Saurabh Assistant Professor Department of Veterinary Clinical Complex College of Veterinary Science & Animal Husbandry Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture and Technology, Kumarganj, Ayodhya, UP-224229, India, Postal Code: 224229
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Dr. Rajesh Kumar
College of Veterinary Science & Animal Husbandry Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture and Technology, Kumarganj, Ayodhya, UP-224229, India, Postal Code: 224229
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Ankit Jaiswal
Abstract
The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of bacteriospermia, determine the bacterial load in fresh semen from 2–6-year-old bucks, and assess the association between bacterial load and sperm quality traits in various Indian goat breeds. For the experiment, one hundred forty-four (144) fresh semen ejaculates were obtained from six bucks of various breeds (two bucks from each breed: Jamnapari, Sirohi, and Barbari) during three distinct seasons (summer, rainy, and winter). After initial evaluation, samples were subjected to bacteriological examination. The total viable bacterial count of fresh semen was measured using the standard plate count method. Semen collection utilized a sterile artificial vagina on a weekly basis, adhering to a standardized collection technique. The results indicated that the prevalence of bacterial load was 70%, 56.66%, and 63.33% in Sirohi, Jamnapari, and Barbari bucks, respectively. The variation in bacteriospermia occurrence among the three goat breeds was non-significant (p>0.05), suggesting that breed had no significant effect on bacteriospermia prevalence. Sirohi bucks exhibited higher bacterial counts (458.36 ± 9.35 CFU/mL) compared to both Barbari (419.28 ± 10.23 CFU/mL) and Jamnapari (413.82 ± 9.77 CFU/mL). An age-wise analysis revealed that older bucks (≥5 years: 456.73±12.56 CFU/mL) had significantly greater microbial loads than younger groups (2.5–3.5 years: 406.90±4.33 CFU/mL; 3.5–5 years: 423.40±9.53 CFU/mL). Seasonal variation was also highly significant (p<0.001), with Tukey’s HSD confirming that microbial loads during the rainy season (475.69 ± 10.93 CFU/mL) were substantially higher than those observed in winter (404.03 ± 6.84 CFU/mL) and summer (393.67 ± 4.68 CFU/mL). The current investigation concluded that the increased bacterial load in the semen adversely affected sperm motility, livability, and plasma membrane integrity. The elevated bacterial load in buck semen negatively influenced the proportions of sperm motility, livability, and plasma membrane integrity, as demonstrated by Pearson's correlation analysis.
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