Study of correlation between reaction time and refractory period (as indices of libido) with semen characteristics in ArkharMerino×Moghani and Baluchi×Moghani rams

Figures & data

Table 1 Climate data of the Khalatpoushan Research Station (October 2010 until September 2011). The research was performed from November to March.

	Air temperature, °C		Relative humidity, %		Average
	Minimum	Maximum	Minimum	Maximum	day length, h
October	7.6	25.1	26.9	77.5	11.3
November	0.23	16.7	32.5	71.1	10.2
December	−4.08	12.4	34.7	67.9	9.6
January	−7.93	3.65	54.26	84.06	9.9
February	−7.85	4.2	51.33	85.1	10.9
March	−2.32	8.51	48.5	81.75	12
April	2.64	16.06	25.03	67	13.3
May	6.83	19.45	36.16	80.93	14.3
June	11.51	28.03	23	78.54	14.8
July	15.75	32.61	22.8	57.87	14.6
August	16.83	33.61	15.29	56.51	13.7
September	12.16	28.22	16.74	74.16	12.5

Table 2 Means ±SE and range of seminal measurements of ArkharMerino×Moghani and Baluchi×Moghani rams.

		ArkharMerino×Moghani			Baluchi×Moghani
Semen parameters	n	Mean ±SE	Min	Max	Mean ±SE	Min	Max
Semen volume, mL	145	1.26±0.20^a	0.67	1.90	0.97±0.20^b	0.52	1.40
Wave motion, range 0–5	144	4.09±0.18	2.00	5.00	3.82±0.20	2.00	5.00
Progressive motility, %	145	73.59±3.88^a	50.00	90.00	67.72±3.78^b	50.00	85.00
Semen color, range 0–5	145	3.58±0.46	1.00	5.00	3.77±0.45	2.00	5.00
Total sperm output, ×10^9	145	4.565±0.80	1.785	30.55	3.55±0.81	1.616	18.90
Sperm concentration, ×10^9	145	3.552±0.35	1.960	5.81	3.80±0.34	2.55	5.88
Live spermatozoa, %	145	74.57±3.57^a	56.00	94.00	68.91±3.59^b	54.00	90.00
Abnormal spermatozoa, %	142	10.95±1.71	3.00	21.00	13.02±1.72	4.00	25.00
Semen index, ×10^9	145	19,472.2±3923	1425	101,058	14,769±3919	1027.40	41,836.20
Semen pH	143	6.57±0.25	5.90	7.20	6.54±0.25	5.90	7.30
MBRT, sec	142	111.70±7.07	45.00	210.00	119.39±7.0	65.00	200.00

MBRT, methylene blue reduction time.

a,b Means in the row of each parameter with different superscripts differ significantly (P<0.05). Means within each row within each factor without letters did not differ significantly from each other (P>0.05).

Table 3 Means ±SE and range of libido score of ArkharMerino×Moghani and Baluchi×Moghani rams.

ArkharMerino×Moghani				Baluchi×Moghani
Libido parameters	n	Mean ±SE	Min	Max	Mean ±SE	Min	Max
Reaction time, sec	143	23.75±7.63^a	3	150	18.18±7.46^a	3	70
Refractory period, sec	142	231.34±110.6^a	20	975	258.02±110.9^a	53	865

a Means within each factor with the same letters did not differ significantly from each other; otherwise, they differ significantly at the level of 0.05.

Table 4 Correlation coefficient (r) between libido scores and seminal traits of ArkharMerino×Moghani and Baluchi×Moghani rams.

r	SV	WM	PM	SL	SAB	MBRT	PH	TSE	Conc	Color	SI	RT
RP	− 0.15	− 0.14	− 0.24	− 0.26	00.25	00.28	00.32	− 0.02	− 0.23	− 0.27	− 0.20	00.29
P value	0.042	0.049	0.001	00.04	00.05	00.01	00.01	0.593055556	0.001	00.02	0.006	00.01
RT	− 0.15	− 0.01	− 0.01	− 0.02	00.02	00.05	00.09	00.04	− 0.07	− 0.10	00.13	1
P value	0.040	0.056944444	0.055555556	0.054166667	0.054861111	00.42	00.35	00.51	00.30	00.16	0.058	1

SV, semen volume; WM, wave motion; PM, spermatozoa progressive motility; SL, percentage of live spermatozoa; SAB, percentage of abnormal spermatozoa; MBRT, methylene blue reduction time; TSE, total spermatozoa per ejaculate; Conc, concentration; SI, semen index; RT, reaction time; RP, refractory period.