The objective of the study is to verify the importance of ultrasonography as an early
diagnosis of testicular integrity of sheep. Sixteen male animals aged 6 to 36 months
weighing 16 to 71 kg, mestizos, raised in the Araguaína / TO region were used in a
semi-intensive system, where during the dry period massai (Panixum maximum),
mombaça (Panicum maximum) and concentrated daily twice a day and during the
rainy period, the massai grass is planted in paddocks during the day, with
concentrate in the trough in the late afternoon. Ultrasound examination and testicular
biometry were performed biweekly, obtaining images of the testis in the sagittal
(longitudinal) and transverse (lateromedial) positions. Each testicle was measured
using a pachymeter, tape measure and ultrasound (mediastinum). The testicular
examination by ultrasonography is easy to perform, and it is possible to identify the
testicular parenchyma, mediastinum and tunics delimiting the parenchyma, in
addition to the epididymis and plexus pampiniforme, with three possible types of
images found in testicular scans: hyperechogenic, hypoechogenic and anechoic. In
22 evaluations, including the two antimer's, it was not possible to visualize the
testicular and mediastinal parenchyma, characterized as anechoic images. The
comparison of homogeneous and heterogeneous ecotexture, and echogenicity
characterized as high, medium and low testis as a function of animal weight, did not
show significant differences (p> 0.05). However, at three moments the value p <0.05
was significant, differing between antimeres in ecotexture and within echogenicity,
not obeying the testis pattern, which is the similarity between them. In the study, one
of the animals presented testicles of reduced size, with a mean scrotal circumference
of 16.6 cm, it was possible to observe that there was an increase to 20 cm in the last
observation already at 10 months of age, characterizing that this animal had an
important alteration scrotal perimeter characterized as testicular hypoplasia. The use
of ultrasonography is a valuable tool in assisting the andrological exam in monitoring
testicular function in this species. It is necessary to carry out further studies that
could consolidate the findings detected by testicular ultrasonography for image
consolidation, which characterize different phases of reproductive life in testicular
function.
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