TITLE:
Effectiveness of Partial Orchiectomy in African Catfish (Clarias gariepinus) as a Sustainable Non-Lethal Alternative to Elite Male Culling
AUTHORS:
Elie Namegabe Bacirheba, Jean-Berckmans Bahananga Muhigwa, Gabriel Mukabo Okito, Désiré Akonkwa Balagizi, Guillain Andanga Machumu
KEYWORDS:
Clarias gariepinus, Orchiectomy, Survival, Growth
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Veterinary Medicine,
Vol.16 No.9,
September
20,
2026
ABSTRACT: This study compares partial orchiectomy with the conventional sacrifice of males for sperm collection in African catfish. It evaluates fertilization, hatching, larval survival, and growth. Two treatment groups of males were used, and offspring performance was monitored during 30 days of rearing. The main result shows that sperm collected surgically produced reproductive outcomes similar to those obtained by sacrifice. Moreover, operated males survived the postoperative period, and progeny survival was higher in the surgery group. In quantitative terms, the technical feasibility of this surgical method is confirmed by the collection of a semen volume (2.6 mL) that is statistically equivalent to that obtained using the conventional euthanasia method (3.12 mL). At 30 days of age, larvae from operated males exhibited a high survival rate of 88.67%, a result significantly higher than that of the control group derived from sacrificed males (82.00%); with a larval Specific Growth Rate (SGR) exceeding 21% per day. Partial orchiectomy preserves elite broodstock and optimizes the overall productivity of hatcheries by maximizing larval survival and growth rates.