Volume 4, No. 2, 2016

Three groups of 6 healthy West African dwarf rams aged 2.0-2.6 years were assigned to either 16.50i.u. Pergonal (T2), 33.00i.u. Pergonal (T3) or 49.50i.u.Pergonal (T4) injections (of Ferring Labs., USA), each divided into 3 doses and given for 3 consecutive days. Another group of 6 rams was given normal saline (1.00ml) during the same period to serve as control (T1). All treatments were given to study the effect of the drug on erythrocyte indices, serum protein values, liver and kidney functions. All the treatments were given by intramuscular injection. The results showed significant differences (P<0.05) among the treatment groups in packed cell volume (PCV), haemoglobin (HB) and mean corpuscular volume (MCV) values. However, there were no significant differences (P>0.05) among the treatment groups in red blood cells (RBC), mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH) and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) values. The results further showed that there were significant differences (P<0.05) among the treatment groups in serum total protein, albumin and globulin values, and albumin-globulin ratio. The result also showed that there were significant differences (P<0.05) among the treatment groups in sodium, potassium, chloride, bicarbonate, creatinine, Alkaline phosphatase, Aspartate transaminase and Alanine transaminase values. The results of this study showed that apart from RBC, MCH and MCHC, the PCV, HB, MCV and serum protein values, liver and kidney functions of West African Dwarf rams may be affected when 16.50 i.u or more of Pergonal are used for induction of spermatogenesis and so should be constantly monitored.

Keywords: Erythrocyte indices, Liver/Kidney functions, Pergonal®, Serum proteins, WAD rams

Two groups of 4 healthy Ouda rams aged 2.0-2.60 years, weghing between 40.21kg and 40.32kg were assigned to either 49.50 i.u (T2) or 99.00i.u (T3) Pergonal injections (Ferring Labs. USA) each divided into 3 doses for 3 consecutive days. Another group of 4 rams was given normal saline (1ml) during the same period to serve as control (T1). All treatments were given to study the effect of the drug on daily sperm output, gonadal and extragonadal sperm reserves. All the treatments were given by intramuscular injection. The results showed significant differences (P<0-.05) among the treatment groups in daily sperm output (x109), daily sperm output per gram testis (x109), gonadal sperm reserve (x109), caput, corpus, cauda and vas deferens sperm reserves (x108). High correlations were observed between testis weight, caput weights, and daily sperm output, gonadal sperm reserve, daily sperm output per gram testis; between caput weight, corpus weight, cauda weight and cauda sperm reserve. The results of this study indicate that the daily sperm output, daily sperm output per gram testis, gonadal, caput, corpus, cauda and vas deferens sperm reserves may be affected when 49.50i.u or more of Pergonal® are used for induction of spermatogenesis in Ouda rams.

Keywords: Gonadaotrophin (Pergonal®), Ouda rams, Sperm output, Sperm reserve