The effect of nutrition on sexual development of bulls

Abstract Most bulls that are managed for sale as yearlings are fed high-energy diets in the post-weaning period to maximize rates of gain in body weight. High-energy diets with adequate protein, vitamins and minerals result in a larger scrotal circumference at 1 y of age, however, part of this increase in size is likely due to scrotal fat. It is unclear whether testis size and spermatogenesis is significantly affected by nutritional intake in the post-weaning period. There are indications of an effect of calfhood nutrition on age at puberty and testis size. Scrotal circumference was smaller in yearling bulls raised by first-parity dams, compared to those raised by older dams. This may have been due to lower milk production by first-parity dams, an in utero effect, or both. The effect of reduced calfhood nutrition may be mediated through gonadotropin secretion. Calves destined to become later maturing bulls with smaller testes had lower amounts of LH secretion during the period of the early gonadotropin rise (8–16 wk of age). Furthermore, augmenting circulating LH concentrations at this time by treating calves with GnRH hastened pubertal development. In addition, FSH treatments in calfhood also increased scrotal circumference and hastened spermatogenesis. In that regard, FSH has been considered a main driver of Sertoli cell proliferation in prepubertal animals. Since Sertoli cell multiplication ceases at 20–25 wk of age in bulls, final testis size in bulls is likely determined in calfhood. Four experiments were done to investigate the effects of calfhood nutrition on pubertal development. These studies confirmed that superior calfhood nutrition augmented gonadotropin secretion (which is probably mediated by metabolic hormones); this resulted in larger testes at 1 y of age and an earlier onset of spermatogenesis.