Browsing by Author "Bandara, N.M.S.N."

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    Preliminary Studies on the Fowl Semen Dilution and Effect to the Egg Fertility
    (Uva Wellassa University of Sri Lanka, 2013) Vidanage, L.V.B.; Bulumulla, P.B.A.I.K.; Kulakurasuriya, M.S.; Bandara, N.M.S.N.
    Poultry farming is considered as a principle component in livestock sector in Sri Lanka which provides commercial income and considerable contribution to national GDP. The poultry industry depends on the breeding materials obtained from poultry breeding centers and private companies which are few in the country. Presently, natural breeding is practiced as breeding method to produced day old broiler chicks which is costly and needs large number of male birds. Introduction of Artificial Insemination (AI) programmers for broiler breeder farms will be a suitable alternative for natural breeding. Though AI is practiced in some of the poultry breeding centers using undiluted semen, poultry semen dilution is a novel area to Sri Lanka (Niroshan, 2003). Since fowl semen is very thick, highly concentrate and less volume secretion, semen diluent can be used to increase the semen volume which facilitates the efficient utilization of poultry semen (Mcgvern, 2002). Therefore, present study was conducted to develop suitable poultry semen diluent and to compare the efficiency of different breeding methods in poultry. Methodology This study was carried out at Karandagolla NLDB farm and Laboratory analysis was carried out at AI center in Kundesale. Semen samples were collected from 46 weeks old male birds separately and the volume of the semen were measured using a pipette, spermatozoa concentration and semen mortality were evaluated by heamocytometer method (WHO, 1999) and Microscopic test observation (Arthur et al., 1989) respectively as semen quality parameters. Ringers’ solution was selected as the semen diluent (Solution 1) and the second solution was modified by adding carbon source (Fructose) to Tabatabeai et al. (2009) as energy source (Solution 2) and semen dilution was done in 1:1 ration of semen and diluent. After preparation of semen diluents, pH level was measured and spermatozoa concentration and semen mortality and motility were evaluated. Out of two solutions, best solution was selected and used for the semen dilution in the breeding trial. Three (03) different breeding methods as which natural breeding, artificial insemination (without semen dilution- WOD) and artificial insemination with semen dilution were practiced for breeding stock of same breed, age and physiological conditions. Females were age separated ensuring that they are free from semen. Artificial insemination program continued after three days interval and egg collection was done daily. Eggs were incubated after collecting and the fertility on day 18 and after hatching was determined. Hatchability percentage was estimated separately in all breeding methods. Data were analyzed using MINITAB 16 software. Results and Discussion The fowl semen mortality percentage was significantly higher in Ringer’s solution than modified Ringer’s Solution (Figure 1). Tough pH level of diluted semen of modified Ringers solution was 8.2 which are at the upper limit of the tolerable pH of spermatozoa (Bongonoff and Schaffner, 1954). Fructose, mainly used as an energy source for fowl semen may have a higher effect than the semen pH in reducing sperm mortality percentage in modified Ringers solution. Further the motility of the sperms is significantly higher in modified Ringer’s solution diluted semen sample than the Ringer’s solution diluted semen (p<0.05). Out of the tested two solutions, modified Ringer’s solution was used for the semen dilution in the breeding trial.