ARSBC14 PPT 16 Robert Wettemann
ARSBC14 PPT 16 Robert Wettemann
ARSBC14 PPT 16 Robert Wettemann
Introduction
• Testicular temperature must be 2 to 6 °C cooler than body temperature.
Impact of Heat Stress on • Exposure to elevated ambient temperature reduces semen quality (Casady et al.,
1953; Skinner and Louw, 1966).
Male Fertility • Local heating of the scrotum reduces the number of ejaculated sperm (Austin
et al., 1961;Gerona and Sikes, 1970).
Bob Wettemann and Brit Boehmer • Heat stress has a minimal effect on testicular hormone production (Minton et
Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station al., 1981; Barth and Bowman, 1994).
Ram
Temperature of Testes
ARSBC
2014
1
Robert
We)emann
presenta/on
Oct.
9,
2014
10
Semen volume, mL
6
Treatment
5
Characteristic Control Heat-stressed 4
2
Rectal temperature, °C 38.2 ± 0.1c 38.7± 0.2d
1
ARSBC
2014
2
Robert
We)emann
presenta/on
Oct.
9,
2014
Time (yr. 2)
25-May
26-Aug
25-Jun
26-Jul
100
Management to Reduce Heat Stress
80
and more live sperm (Meyerhoeffer et al.)
70
40
15-May
15-Jun
16-Jul
16-Aug
16-Sep
Time (yr. 1)
Figure 3a, 4a. Weekly changes in semen motility during two years.
Year 1 SEM = 5.7, Year 2 SEM = 2.9
Adapted from Coleman et al., 1984, J. Range Mgt.
ARSBC
2014
3
Robert
We)emann
presenta/on
Oct.
9,
2014
Ambient temperature and ruminal
Ruminal
temperature
(RuT)
in
beef
cows
(n
=
11)
rela/ve
to
hourly
maximum
ambient
temperature
(Tmax).
a,b
Means
without
a
common
le)er
differ
(P
<
0.001).
temperature
• Ruminal temperature (RuT) is a noninvasive
method to monitor body temperature in real
time.
• Cows were maintained in a drylot with shade
and ad libitum water and feed during the
summer.
92 °F
Temperature humidity index Ruminal
temperature
(RuT)
in
beef
cows
(n
=
11)
rela/ve
to
hourly
mean
temperature
humidity
index
(THI).
a,b
Means
without
a
common
le)er
differ
(P
<
0.001).
ARSBC
2014
4
Robert
We)emann
presenta/on
Oct.
9,
2014
ARSBC 2014 5