Age and hourly related changes of serum testosterone and spermiogram of prepubertal bulls fed two levels of nutrition

Serum testosterone concentrations and the spermiograms of prepuberal bulls fed two levels of protein diets were investigated at 7, 10, 14 and 18 months of age. Scrotal circumference, body condition score and total sperm counts of those animals on a high protein diet were significantly (P <0.05) higher than those on a low protein diet. However, sperm motility, total dead sperm and abnormal sperm did not differ between the treatment groups (P <0.05). One bull fed a high protein diet had significantly higher testosterone concentrations (basal and peak) than a bull fed low protein throughout the four sampling periods (P <0.05). Testosterone concentrations, scrotal circumference, volume of semen, sperm concentration and sperm output of bulls on low and high protein diets increased significantly with age (P <0.05). Peak testosterone concentrations ranged from 1.1. ng ml⁻¹ at 7 months to a maximum of 5.3 ng ml⁻¹ at 18 months. The 24 h secretory patterns of testosterone were episodic, pulsatile or temporal in nature. The peaks occurred mostly in the morning hours and ranged from one to five in number. Protein intake in prepubertal bulls could have significant influence on spermiogram and testosterone production.