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Table 3 Semen characteristics and hormonal profiles in serum and seminal plasma, SpTP and SpZn in low-motile and moderate-motile semen collected from 13 elephant bulls during rainy (July to October 2004), winter (November 2004 to February 2005) and summer (March to June 2005).

From: Potential factors affecting semen quality in the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus)

Semen parameters

Rainy

Winter

Summer

 

Moderate-motile (33 ejaculates)

Low-motile (17 ejaculates)

Moderate-motile (46 ejaculates)

Low-motile (24 ejaculates)

Moderate-motile (31 ejaculates)

Low-motile (24 ejaculates)

Progressive motility (%)

39.05 ± 4.27a

6.7 ± 3.08b

37.14 ± 4.16a

5.83 ± 2.65b

37.84 ± 4.65a

0.00 ± 0.00 b

Concentration (x106/ml)

1940 ± 183.82

1870 ± 385.45

1080 ± 99.66

1280 ± 301.44

1210 ± 145.06

1090 ± 166.08

Volume (ml)

28.95 ± 4.35

17.40 ± 4.56

25.95 ± 3.63

21.11 ± 4.15

23.84 ± 2.76a

10.27 ± 1.64b

Seminal pH

7.59 ± 0.14

8.25 ± 0.17

7.95 ± 0.25

8.33 ± 0.21

7.85 ± 0.18

8.50 ± 0.16

Viable sperm (%)

48.68 ± 4.51

47.17 ± 31.16

40.66 ± 4.48a

26.59 ± 6.56b

36.84 ± 3.94a

6.36 ± 2.30b

Normal morphology (%)

79.60 ± 8.20a

55.00 ± 10.10b

88.50 ± 1.60a

79.50 ± 2.50b

88.70 ± 1.70

86.50 ± 3.00

SrT3 (ng/dl)

191.81 ± 12.49a

137.87 ± 10.16b

197.53 ± 11.48a

148.39 ± 13.83b

179.46 ± 12.92

154.49 ± 16.22

SrT4 (μg/dl)

10.87 ± 0.44

10.88 ± 0.33

10.03 ± 0.32

10.50 ± 0.55

10.50 ± 0.36

10.95 ± 0.52

SrTest (ng/ml)

14.05 ± 5.19

6.97 ± 1.47

18.41 ± 4.39

8.91 ± 2.09

2.57 ± 0.68

1.03 ± 0.30

SpTest (ng/ml)

47.35 ± 5.04

54.38 ± 10.67

51.15 ± 6.41

65.07 ± 18.00

46.93 ± 4.65

44.68 ± 6.09

SpTP (g/dl)

0.62 ± 0.08

0.77 ± 0.32

0.64 ± 0.05a

0.49 ± 0.11b

0.57 ± 0.05a

0.28 ± 0.06b

SpZn (μg/dl)

51.47 ± 4.64

49.82 ± 5.93

56.29 ± 3.50a

46.33 ± 5.78b

60.69 ± 3.58a

50.37 ± 9.18b

  1. Data were mean ± SE, superscripts within the same parameters differ significantly (P < 0.05)