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Abstract

Selenium (Se) plays a vital role in improving reproductive health in ruminants. This study evaluated the impact of Se supplementation on testicular health in young male goats. Twenty goats (2–3 months old, 8.5–10 kg) were randomly assigned to two groups: Control (C, n=10) receiving a basal diet (0.037 mg Se/kg) and Se-Yeast (SY, n=10) supplemented with 0.3 mg Se/kg diet. The trial lasted eight weeks. Results showed that testis weight was significantly higher in the SY group (26.8 ± 2.5 g) compared to C (22.4 ± 2.1 g, p < 0.05). Testis length, width, and circumference also increased significantly in SY goats (4.5 ± 0.3 cm, 2.9 ± 0.2 cm, and 7.4 ± 0.4 cm, respectively) compared to control (3.9 ± 0.4 cm, 2.5 ± 0.3 cm, and 6.7 ± 0.5 cm; p < 0.05). Serum cholesterol was higher in SY (135.27 ± 2.34 mg/dl) than in C (121.15 ± 8.74 mg/dl, p = 0.02), while triglycerides were lower (95.99 ± 1.37 vs. 114.38 ± 1.84 mg/dl, p = 0.0003). HDL increased (51.97 ± 2.10 vs. 45.02 ± 1.32 mg/dl, p = 0.03), and LDL decreased (54.23 ± 1.81 vs. 61.27 ± 1.56 mg/dl, p = 0.02) in SY group. Total serum protein rose significantly (8.14 ± 0.79 vs. 5.25 ± 0.06 mg/dl, p = 0.03), as did testosterone levels (1.95 ± 0.08 vs. 1.43 ± 0.06 ng/ml, p = 0.002). In conclusion, selenium supplementation significantly improved testicular morphology, lipid profile, protein levels, and testosterone, indicating enhanced reproductive health in goats.

Article History

Received: May 19, 2025; Accepted: Jun 16, 2025; Published: June 26, 2025


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