Attainment of puberty in South African unimproved indigenous bucks

The purpose of the study was to examine attainment of puberty in South African unimproved indigenous bucks (unimproved indigenous bucks). A total of 24 unimproved indigenous bucks aged between 118-123 days (4 months) with a mean body weight of 8.1 ± 0.3 kg were observed for puberty attainment. Their sexual behaviour activities, body weight and scrotal circumference were recorded every two weeks until the onset of puberty. Blood samples were collected every month to evaluate testosterone concentration. Semen samples were collected when the bucks started to show sexual behaviour activities. For continuous and categorical variables, least-square mean and percentage were used to summarise the data, respectively. Bucks started to show sexual behaviour activities at the age of 5.5 months. At the age of 5.5 months, none of the bucks ejaculated semen with the sperm cells. However, at the age of 6 months, 22 bucks ejaculated semen and the semen characteristics observed were good and above the acceptable standards. In conclusion, unimproved indigenous bucks attained puberty at the age of 6 months.