Gonçalves Joedson Dantas, Garcia Alexandre Rossetto, de Arruda Rubens Paes, Pezzopane José Ricardo Macedo, Tonato Felipe, de Sousa Alda Juliana Castro, Pinho Lívia Ferreira, do Amaral Pereira Veronica Schinaider, Vergani Gabriel Brun, Oliveira Maria Emilia Franco
School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University, Via de acesso Prof. Paulo Donato Castellane, s/n, Jaboticabal, SP, 14884-900, Brazil.
Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation, Embrapa Southeastern Livestock, Rod. Washington Luiz, km 234, São Carlos, SP, 13560-970, Brazil.
Sci Rep. 2025 Jul 17;15(1):25940. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-05522-y.
This study aimed to evaluate the ultrasonographic characteristics of the testicles and pampiniform plexus of young bulls from 8 to 19 months of age under different microclimatic conditions. For this, 46 animals (8.0 ± 0.5 months and 211.0 ± 5.9 kg) were raised in two intensive rotational systems for 12 months, in which 24 animals (Nelore, n = 12; Canchim, n = 12) in a silvopastoral system and 22 animals (Nelore, n = 10; Canchim, n = 12) in a non-shaded pastoral system. Testicular biometric measurements, B-mode ultrasound assessments (echogenicity and heterogeneity of the testicular parenchyma and mediastinum), color Doppler (blood perfusion of the testicular parenchyma and pampiniform plexus), spectral Doppler of the supratesticular artery (pulsatility and resistance index), and blood collection from the jugular to determine testosterone concentration were performed monthly. Data were analyzed using the PROC MIXED procedure of SAS (p < 0.05), and possible interactions between production systems and animal age are presented. There was no difference in testicular volume variables (p = 0.4) between production systems over time. For parenchymal echogenicity (p = 0.3), a progressive increase was observed over time, with a maximum peak at 12 months of age, but without difference between systems. For the relative Doppler area of the testicular parenchyma (p = 0.4) and plexus (p = 0.1), values were decreased at 16 months of age, but without a difference between systems. For the velocimetric indices of the supratesticular artery, there were decreases in the pulsatility index (p = 0.3) and resistance index (p = 0.04), with no difference between the production systems. In conclusion, the variations observed in the present study are more related to age. Thus, there are no differences in the characteristics observed by ultrasound in young bulls kept in different microclimatic conditions under the circumstances studied.
本研究旨在评估8至19月龄年轻公牛在不同小气候条件下睾丸及蔓状静脉丛的超声特征。为此，46头动物（8.0±0.5月龄，211.0±5.9千克）在两种集约化轮牧系统中饲养12个月，其中24头动物（内洛尔牛，n = 12；坎辛牛，n = 12）饲养在林牧系统中，22头动物（内洛尔牛，n = 10；坎辛牛，n = 12）饲养在无遮荫的牧系统中。每月进行睾丸生物测量、B超评估（睾丸实质和纵隔的回声性及异质性）、彩色多普勒（睾丸实质和蔓状静脉丛的血流灌注）、睾丸上动脉频谱多普勒（搏动性和阻力指数）以及从颈静脉采血以测定睾酮浓度。使用SAS的PROC MIXED程序分析数据（p < 0.05），并呈现生产系统与动物年龄之间可能的相互作用。随着时间推移，各生产系统间睾丸体积变量无差异（p = 0.4）。对于实质回声性（p = 0.3），随时间观察到逐渐增加，在12月龄时达到最大峰值，但各系统间无差异。对于睾丸实质（p = 0.4）和静脉丛（p = 0.1）的相对多普勒面积，在16月龄时数值下降，但各系统间无差异。对于睾丸上动脉的测速指数，搏动指数（p = 0.3）和阻力指数（p = 0.04）下降，各生产系统间无差异。总之，本研究中观察到的变化更多与年龄相关。因此，在所研究的情况下，处于不同小气候条件下的年轻公牛通过超声观察到的特征并无差异。
