Sêmen e circunferência escrotal de touros zebu alimentados com dois níveis de concentrado e lipídeos

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects Sf diets with two levels of concentrate and lipids on the scrota, circumference and semen physical aspects of zebu bulls. Sixteen zebu bulls, averaging 24 months of age and live weight of 415 kg, respectively, were used by a period of 90 days. The animals were allotted in four treatments: TI (high concentrate and high lipid), T2 (high concentrate and low lipid), T3 (low concentrate and high lipid), and T4 (low concentrate and low lipid). The diets were formulated to be isoproteic and the relationship forage: concentrate was 45:55 percent (T] and T2) and 80:20 percent (T3 and T4), on the dry matter basis (DM). After the adaptation period, the body weight, the semen collection and the measurement scrotal circumference of the bulls were made every 15 days. The average increase of weight and the scrotal circumference (78 kg and 34.4 cm) were greater in the animals fed diets with high level of concentrate, and smaller (36 kg and 32.5 cm) for the ones that received diets with low level of concentrate, respectively. The physical aspects of the bulls semen (turbidity, motility, vigor, and spermatic concentration) were not affected by the treatment, either by the period effect and interaction period x treatment for these variables. The animals presented overall means of 2.8 for turbidity, 71.9 percent for motility, 3.2 for vigor, and 375.4 x 106/mL of semen for spermatic concentration.(RA)