Gupta Akanksha, Kumar Pradeep, Bansal Krishna Nand, Thakur Shubham, Yadav Usha, Bala Renu, Meel Mamta, Bishnoi Manju Bala, Bhardwaj Shivani, Verma Nisha, Punetha Meeti, Kumar Dharmendra, Yadav P S
Animal Physiology and Reproduction Division, ICAR-Central Institute for Research on Buffaloes, Hisar, 125001, Haryana, India.
Department of Dairy Cattle Physiology, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute Karnal, Karnal, 132001, Haryana, India.
Trop Anim Health Prod. 2025 Apr 15;57(3):173. doi: 10.1007/s11250-025-04421-8.
Despite having strong pedigree records, passing breeding soundness evaluations, and receiving appropriate management and nutrition, some breeding bulls consistently underperform in similar environmental conditions where other bulls thrive. These underperforming bulls are economically unsuitable for semen stations that produce semen doses. Our study aims to predict the performance of breeding bulls based on hair cortisol and testosterone concentrations. We also measured these hormones in buffalo calves. Furthermore, we assessed seminal plasma cortisol and testosterone concentrations in poor-quality and good-quality ejaculates. To evaluate bull performance, we categorized the bulls into two groups based on ejaculate discard rates: consistent (n = 9) and inconsistent semen quality bulls (n = 6). The breeding bulls' hair cortisol and testosterone levels were evaluated at two-month intervals for one year. We analyzed the semen from both groups for motility and kinematic parameters using a computer-assisted semen analyzer and acrosome integrity, mitochondrial membrane potential, and superoxide production through flow cytometry. The bulls that exhibited consistent semen quality had higher (P < 0.05) hair testosterone concentrations than those with inconsistent quality; however, there was no difference (P > 0.05) in hair cortisol levels between the two groups. Additionally, the ejaculates from bulls with inconsistent semen quality met minimum standards, showing no differences (P > 0.05) in sperm motility. However, mitochondrial membrane potential and superoxide production were compromised at the subcellular level. Acrosome integrity was also lower (P < 0.05) in bulls with inconsistent semen quality than those with consistent quality. In poor-quality ejaculates, regardless of the bull group, cortisol and testosterone concentrations were higher (P < 0.05) than in good-quality ejaculates intended for cryopreservation. Additionally, hair testosterone concentration increased with age in male calves, while hair cortisol levels were higher during July-August and lower from March to April. In conclusion, bulls that exhibited consistent semen quality appear stress-tolerant, while those with inconsistent quality are more stress-susceptible. Our findings suggest that hair testosterone is a better indicator of stress in breeding bulls than hair cortisol.
尽管拥有优良的系谱记录，通过了繁殖健康评估，并获得了适当的管理和营养，但一些种公牛在其他公牛茁壮成长的类似环境条件下却始终表现不佳。这些表现不佳的公牛在经济上不适用于生产精液剂量的精液站。我们的研究旨在根据毛发皮质醇和睾酮浓度预测种公牛的性能。我们还测量了水牛犊牛体内的这些激素。此外，我们评估了质量差和质量好的射精中的精浆皮质醇和睾酮浓度。为了评估公牛的性能，我们根据射精丢弃率将公牛分为两组：精液质量稳定组（n = 9）和精液质量不稳定组（n = 6）。对种公牛的毛发皮质醇和睾酮水平进行了为期一年的每隔两个月一次的评估。我们使用计算机辅助精液分析仪分析了两组精液的活力和运动学参数，并通过流式细胞术分析了顶体完整性、线粒体膜电位和超氧化物产生情况。精液质量稳定的公牛的毛发睾酮浓度高于质量不稳定的公牛（P < 0.05）；然而，两组之间的毛发皮质醇水平没有差异（P > 0.05）。此外，精液质量不稳定的公牛的射精符合最低标准，精子活力没有差异（P > 0.05）。然而，线粒体膜电位和超氧化物产生在亚细胞水平上受到了损害。精液质量不稳定的公牛的顶体完整性也低于质量稳定的公牛（P < 0.05）。在质量差的射精中，无论公牛组别如何，皮质醇和睾酮浓度均高于用于冷冻保存的质量好的射精（P < 0.05）。此外，雄性犊牛的毛发睾酮浓度随年龄增长而增加，而毛发皮质醇水平在7月至8月较高，3月至4月较低。总之，精液质量稳定的公牛似乎具有抗压能力，而质量不稳定的公牛则更容易受到压力影响。我们的研究结果表明，毛发睾酮比毛发皮质醇更能反映种公牛的压力状况。
