Preliminary Studies on the Fowl Semen Dilution and Effect to the Egg Fertility
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Date
2013
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Publisher
Uva Wellassa University of Sri Lanka
Abstract
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.
Description
Keywords
Animal Sciences, Egg, Veterinary Sciences, Food Science, Food Technology