[Variation of the serum testosterone level in boars during 24 hours and during a period of several days].

Seven sexually mature boars were studied in two-hour intervals for 8 to 32 hours, as to the variation of testosterone levels in the blood plasma. Blood samples were obtained by means of a cannula inserted in the v. cava cranialis. The hormone level under study showed marked fluctuation. The coefficient of variation of testosterone concentration ranged from 12.7% to 35.2% in the individual animals and for the whole part of the study it was 33.0%. It appeared impossible to derive seriously any regular periodicity of testosterone concentration in boar blood in the 24-hour period from the analysis of the variation of the levels of the hormone in individual animals during the period under study. Further, the study revealed a marked fluctuation of testosterone levels in the blood plasma of twelve sexually mature boars in the course of several days' study. The coefficient of variation of testosterone concentration in individual animals ranged from 18.1% to 106.5%, reaching 77.0% for the whole part of study. The analysis of variance showed statistically significant differences of hormonal levels in individual boars in which the fluctuation of testosterone was studied in the 8- to 32-hour period as well as in several days' period. This proved the role of the animals' individuality in determining the concentration of testosterone in their blood. The discussion concerns the importance of these findings for the evaluation of the role of basal testosterone levels in the blood in classifying the incretion function of the gonads and in the diagnosis of incretion hypogonadism of boars.