EFFECT OF BROKEN COTTONSEED ON THE DEVELO PMENT AND REPRODUCTIVE-PERFORMANCE IN GOATS

The aim of the present experiment was to analyse the effect of broken cottonseed on weight gain, haematocrit, semen production, testicular h istology and development in goats. A sample of ten crossbreed Saanem, with initial age of 4 months and average weight of 15 kg, was divided into two treatments: WBS = without broken cottonseed and IBS = includi ng 30% of broken cottonseed (13,45 mg of free gossypol per kg LW/day). The experiment comprised a period of 20 months and the experimental d esign was a randomized complete. As for the parameters of semen evalua tion (volume, color, pH, visual and mass motility, progressive motilit y, vigor, survival index and spermatic concentration), haematocrit and weight gain no differences were observed (P<0,05). ICS treatment infl uenced testicular development (P<0,05). No modification was observed i n testicular histomorphology evaluation. Histometry showed 28% and 40% of interstitial tissue and 72% and 60% of seminiferous ducts for WBS and IBS treatments. respectively(P<0,05), but the diameter of seminife rous ducts was not modified.