Arquivo Brasileiro de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (Feb 2011)

Measurement of scrotal circumference in beef bulls in Rio Grande do Sul

  • S.R.O Menegassi,
  • J.O.J Barcellos,
  • V Peripolli,
  • P.R.R.X Pereira,
  • J.B.S Borges,
  • V.N Lampert

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1590/S0102-09352011000100014
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 63, no. 1
pp. 87 – 93

Abstract

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The variability of scrotal circumference and the effects of age and breed as well as the relationship between testicular weight (TW), scrotal circumference (SC), and live weight (BW) were investigated in bulls. Devon, Polled Hereford, and Red Angus breeds showed higher SC values than the other British, Continental, Synthetic, and Zebu studied breeds. The percentage of culled bulls because of low SC ranged from 7.01 to 24.25%. The increase of SC was proportional to the increase in TW and they were highly correlated (r²= 0.90). The results suggest that SC in young bulls is the best way to predict TW and, therefore, a useful tool for their selection

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