Postnatal Development Studies of Male Reproductive System in Local Hill Fowl (Uttara Fowl) of Uttarakhand - A Morphometerical Study

Abstract

The postnatal development of male reproductive system was carried on 54 apparently healthy male local Hill fowl from day old up to 28 weeks of age. The birds were selected as day 1 and 1, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24 and 28 weeks respectively. The testicles were located in the body cavity just caudal to the respective lungs at the cranial end of the kidneys. After hatching, the testes were bean shaped and yellowish white in colour. At 12 weeks, testes were oval in appearance. Upto 20 weeks no specific changes were observed in the shape and colour whereas at 24 - 28 weeks of age testes were observed as elongated and bean shaped with creamy appearance. In epididymis head, body and tail was not present. In day old birds it was difficult to differentiate, noticeable at 4 weeks of age but it became clearly visible and separable at 12 weeks of age where it was thread like in appearance. In adult birds 24 – 28 week of age, it was seen as a spindle shaped flattened enlargement. In day old birds the paired ductus deferens were fine thread like structures. At 16 – 20 weeks, convolutions in ductus deferens appeared. At sexual maturity, it was highly convoluted and wavy in appearance.