Precocidade sexual em bovinos Nelore avaliada por ultrassonografia testicular

• Published in: Arquivo brasileiro de medicina veterinária e zootecnia Vol. 66; no. 4; pp. 1296 - 1298
• Main Authors: Cardilli, D.J., Toniollo, G.H., Pastore, A.A., Canola, J.C., Oliveira, J.A., Mercadante, M.E.Z.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais 01.08.2014
• Subjects: ecografia; touro; trato reprodutor masculino
• ISSN: 0102-0935; 1678-4162; 0102-0935
• DOI: 10.1590/1678-6736

The present study aimed to evaluate if there are differences in testicular parenchyma echogenicity between pre-pubescent and pubescent animals at the same age. Ultrasound examinations were performed in longitudinal and transversal planes of the testicles of 111 healthy Nelore bovines, at the ages of nine, 13 and 15 months. The EIV software calculated the echogenicity of the testicular parenchyma, which ranged from 0 (anechoic) to 100% (hyperechoic). Animals that had reached puberty at 15 months of age presented higher testicular echogenicity than the animals that had not reached puberty at the same age. These results suggest that testicular ultrasonography can be used as a predictor of sexual precocity.