Stress-induced leokocytospermia in rams with healthy reproductive tract

•The presence of neutrophils in ram sperm should be reconsidered in association with stressful events, and not only as indicative of inflammatory or infectious processes.•The stressing stimulus and the cortisol variations were associated with the presence of non-sperm cells neutrophils and exfoliated epithelial cells in semen.•Neutrophil and exfoliated epithelial cells count in samples showed an inverse relationship.