September, 1952] D. D. SHUKLA AND P. BHATTACHARYA 187
Average pH of semen of goats 3 and 164 was significantly lower than that of
others. Associated with low pH, high sperm concentration was found in them.
Again, goats 137 and 169 having higher pH than others showed the lowest sperm
concentration. It seems, therefore, that high pH was associated with lower sperm
concentration in goats.
Total number of spermatozoa has been calculated by multiplying sperm concen-
tration per ml. of semen and the total volume of the ejaculate. It was expected,
therefore, that the goat having the smallest semen volume but higher sperm concen-
tration would show the lower total number of spermatozoa. This has been found
to be true in case of goat 164. Goat 169 had the highest volume of semen and
inspite of its low sperm concentration it had the total number of spermatozoa signi-
ficantly higher than all except goat 3. Goats 160, 168 and 1 did not vary in their
total number of spermatozoa as there was neither significant variation in their total
volume of semen nor in their sperm concentration. Between goats 2 and 3 there
was no significant variation in total number of spermatozoa probably because
the difference in their volume was very little and non-significant ('although there
was significant variation in their sperm concentration').
Critical difference at five per cent level of variable factors between years is
presented in Table V. From the table it is observed that during the second year of
the experiment the goats took significantly lesser time to mount an anoestrous female
and ejaculate semen in artificial vagina. This observation is in complete agreement
with that in rams by Shukla and Bhattacharya [1947]. The semen samples in the
first year had lower pH than in the second year, but the total number of spermatozoa
in the second year was significantly more than in the first year. Shukla and Bhatta-
charya [1947] found that in rams semen quality deteriorated in the second year of
the experiment as indicated by higher pH, lower sperm concentration and total
number of spermatozoa. There is, however, no such clear indication in this experi-
ment.
Critical difference at five per cent level of 'reaction-time' and semen character-
istics between seasons is presented in Table VI. From the table, it is evident that in
summer, the 'reaction-time' was the least of all the seasons. There was, however,
no relationship between the 'reaction-time' and the quality of semen produced by
goats in differenet seasons. Volume of semen in winter was significantly lower
than in the other seasons. Semen samples as judged by initial motility, sperm
concentration and percentage of abnormal spermatozoa, were found to be the best in
spring and worst in autumn.
DISCUSSGIN
Reaction-time. The average 'reaction-time' in goats has been found to be
higher than that observed in rams by Shukla and Bhattacharya [1947]. This
variation in 'reaction-time' might be due to the difference in species between goats
and rams. As found in rams, there did not seem to exist any correlation between
the sex-drive and sperm production. Summer which is the period of decline in
sperm concentration shows lower average 'reaction-time' and in winter which is
next best season for average sperm concentration records the highest 'reaction-time.'