APPLICAZIONE DI UN PROTOCOLLO DI VALUTAZIONE DELLA FUNZIONALITÀ TESTICOLARE IN ALPACA (VICUGNA PACOS)

Species-specific protocols for breeding soundness in the alpaca male are not yet well defined. The aim of the work was to study the relationship between the level of answer to the GnRH test (1st blood sample for testosteronemia - administration of GnRH analogue - 2nd blood sample for testosteronemia 60 mins after the GnRH administration) in terms of delta - testosteronemia and quality of ejaculate. A series of trials were carried out with 5 adult alpaca males (4 huacaya and 1 suri), considering the presence of the female teaser (T1 - Female isolation; T2 - Female presence without mounts; T3 - Female presence with mounts), evaluating the answer to the GnRH test and monitoring the scrotal surface temperature through the use of thermography during the test times. Subsequently, the variation of testosteronemia every 10 mins during the GnRH test and the testicular arterial fluximetry using pulsed echo-color Doppler were considered. During all the trials, the semen quality was evaluated by defining viscosity, concentration, motility and morphology parameters. The female teaser presence with mounts determined a significant decrease in the basal level of testosteronemia but with the higher delta-testosteronemia during the GnRH-test. The scrotal surface temperature showed a drop during the first quarter of the GnRH-test time followed by an increase related to the level of testosteronemia. The maintenance of an adequate answer to the GnRH test and high level of thermoregulation results to be related to a good semen quality.