Author : Reyes, Abner Benedict V.

Summary : Twelve sucking kids aged 1, 2, and 3 months and 40 weaned kids were used to determine the influence of concentrate supplementation, age, and body weight on postnatal testicular development in goats. The 40 weaned kids, all aged 3 months, were divided into two treatments namely T1 (with concentrate) and T2 (without concentrate). In each treatment, the 20 kids were randomly divided into 5 groups representing the ages 5, 7, 9, 11, and 13 months. Each age group was represented by four animals. Feeding supplemental concentrates (17.46 percent CP) at one percent of body weight produced significant (P<.05) influence on the development of the scrotal circumference. However, there was no significant (P>.05) influence registered on scrotal width and the diffenrent testicular parameters (width, length, volume and weight). Age was a significant (P<.01) factor in the development of all scrotal and testicular parameters measured. Development pattern of the seminiferous tubules was characterized by the absence of lumen at one month of age, complete lumen at one month, complete lumen at five months, insignificant (P>.05) changes in lumen size at 5 - 13 months, and the presence of spermatozoa at 7 months of age.