Seminal characteristics of marota bucks in the northeast of Brazil

Abstract

The seminal characteristics of the Marota breed type, native of Brazilian Northeast are still unclear. Six Marota bucks agedbetween two and three years and average weight of 29.7, had their semen collected twice a week through artificial vagina, duringone month in presence of female on induced rutting with estrogens. The characteristics of the collected semen related to:aspect, coloration, volume, pH, mass motility, concentration and sperm motility were observed. These animals presentedyellowish, creamy semen aspect, medium volume of 0.5 ± 0.01 ml, pH of 6.5 ± 0.02, mass motility of 3.5 ± 0.07, and concentrationof 1.5 x109 ± 0.09 spermatozoa/mL. In relation to morphology, the semen presented 93.8 ± 0.2% alive spermatozoa with normalacrosome, 1.2 ± 0.1% of alive spermatozoa with damaged acrosome and 5.0 ± 0.1% dead spermatozoa. Researches relatedto characterization of the Marota buck semen including biochemical analyses must be continued, keeping in mind the preservationof the native racial goat types in the Brazilian Northeast.