Effect of Ivermectin on semen characteristics of Iraqi Awassi ram

Abstract

The objective of this study was evaluation the effect of ivermcetin on semen quality and serum testosterone levels of Iraqi Awassi ram. Ten mature Awassi rams (aged 2.5- 4 years and weighing 37- 44 ± 0.3 kg) were used in this study. Rams were divided randomly into 2 groups each group contain 5 animals; the first one consider as treatment which was sub cautiously injected with ivermcetin at dose 0.2 mg/ kg bw, the second group left as control group injected with physiological normal saline. Semen samples collected by using artificial vagina at 1 day prior to ivermcetin injection and after 1, 3, 5, 7, 14 days following semen volume, mass motility, individual motility, sperms concentration, percentage of live sperm, percentage of abnormal sperms and blood samples were taken for estimated serum testosterone levels at each times of collection. Result of this study shows significantly (P<0.05) decrease in semen volume, sperm concentration and serum testosterone levels of treatment group while percentage of mass and individual motility show no insignificantly differences after 3 days following ivermcetin injection and Sperm abnormalities increase significantly (P<0.05) in treatment group comparing with the control group. After 5 days following ivermcetin injection, Semen parameters and serum testosterone levels demonstrate no significant differences between control and treatment groups. It could be concluded it's not prefer be use animals for breeding at least 5 days following the ivermcetin injection due to its harmful effect on semen quality and serum testosterone level.