Germ cell weakness as a cause of testicular hypoplasia in bulls

Sporadic cases of testicular hypoplasia were earlier found in bulls of the Swedish Red and White breed. An accumulation of cases have occurred since 1970 in sons of 2 outstanding progenytested bull sires, 2 F and 27 U, which had a common father, 545 B. The history and clinical examination of affected bulls varied. Some had azoospermia and very small testes at a young age, while others could be normal in all respect when they were young but had a short reproductive life and had to be culled at about 3 years of age. Most of the affected bulls were between these 2 extremes. The histologic examination showed principally different degrees of testicular degeneration. There were always some germ cells left in all affected seminiferous tubules indicating that there was not a lack of germ cells causing the hypoplasia. Germ cell weakness is obviously a hereditary condition. The sires 545 B, 2 F and 27 U had a relatively low fertility. In their pedigree were several bulls known to have had a low fertility. No sons of 2 F and only a few sons of 27 U were used for A.I. services and at present only few cases of testicular hypoplasia are seen.