Effects of cadmium chloride administration on the macroscopic and microscopic characteristics of ejaculates from Chios ram-lambs

The effects of cadmium chloride on the volume of the ejaculate, semen densi ty, total number of spermatozoa per ejaculate, viability, grade of motility , and morphological abnormalities were studied in 3-month-old ram-lambs of the Chios breed. Two groups of seven animals each were used. For a period o f 7 months, one group was treated with a daily oral dose (3 mg/kg b.w.) of cadmium chloride and the other group received the corresponding volume of d oubly distilled water. Blood samples were collected for cadmium determinati ons, whereas semen was collected weekly. In the cadmium-treated animals, ca dmium concentration in the whole blood was increased and the testes weight was lower. The volume of the ejaculate, the semen density and the total num ber of spermatozoa were significantly reduced by the administration of cadm ium chloride. No differences were observed in the viability, the grade moti lity of spermatozoa, or the percentage of dead and morphologically abnormal spermatozoa between the control and the cadmium-treated animals. Histopath ological examination in the cadmium-treated animals revealed the presence o f lesions in the Sertoli cells, the seminiferous tubules, the primary and t he secondary spermatocytes and the spermatides, whereas in the Leydig cells no significant lesions were evident. (C) 2000 by Elsevier Science Inc.