Physical Characteristics and Selected Biochemical Components of Male Alpaca Accessory Sex Glands - Abstract
Physical characteristic and selected biochemical components of accessory glands secretions in male alpacas of reproductive age were characterized. Prostate and Cowper’s glands were dissected from the rest of reproductive organs from 3, 5, and 7 years old males. Secretions were expressed by digital pressure and collected into vials for visual inspection, and then processed at the laboratory for concentrations of glucose, fructose, citric acid, inorganic phosphorus, total proteins, albumin, globulins and total lipids. Prostate secretion was milky, opaque, and slightly gelatinous; while Cowper’s gland secretion was bluish white, mucoid, very thick, dense and gelatinous. Concentrations of citric acid (341.4 mg/dL), inorganic phosphorus (151.9 mg/dL) in prostate secretion were significantly higher (P<0.05) than in Cowper’s gland secretion. Cowper’s glands fructose (75.3 mg/dL), globulins (10.9 g/dL), and total lipids (1417.9 mg/dL) were significantly higher (P<0.05) than in prostate gland secretion. Glucose (171.3 mg/dL), total proteins (22.3 g/dL) and albumin (12.5 g/dL) were not different between prostate and Cowper’s gland secretions. The gelatinous aspect of alpaca semen is primarily due to secretion of Cowper’s gland secretion.