Semen Quality Characteristics and Effect of Mating Ratio on Reproductive Performance of Hubbard Broiler Breeders

Abstract

A study was conducted at the National Animal Production Research Institute (NAPRI) Shika, Zaria, Nigeria to access some semen quality characteristics and to determine the effect of mating ratio on fertility and hatchability of Hubbard broiler breeders. 20 cocks were examined for semen quality characteristics. Parameters evaluated were: ejaculate volume, semen pH, sperm concentration and sperm motility. Sequel to semen quality evaluation, hens were divided into three groups according to mating ratio (cock to hen) which included ratios 1:6, 1:7 and 1:8 with each group replicated 3 times. Each replicate was housed separately in pens. Hatchable eggs were collected after ten days grace period of mating and were set in the incubator. There were six hatches and fertility and hatchability parameters were calculated. Results obtained for semen quality characteristics showed that mean values for volume (ml) was 0.55±0.04, motility (%) was 83.50, concentration was 3.91x10 9 /ml, pH was 7.40 and average body weight was 4.73 kg. Correlations between the semen quality characteristics and body weight showed that pH was negatively but not significantly correlated with volume, concentration and body weight. The correlation between volume and concentration was high (0.92) and highly significant (p<0.001). Other correlations though positive were not significant (p>0.05). Mating ratio significantly (p<0.05) affected number of eggs fertile, number hatched and percent fertile. Birds mated in the ratio of 1:6 had the highest values for number fertile, number hatch and percent fertile but not significantly different from ratio 1:8. However the birds in the ratio of 1:7 had similar performance with those in the ratio 1:8 for percent fertile. High and significant correlation between ejaculate volume and concentration indicated that large ejaculate volume resulted in high concentration. Mating ratio of 1:6 was recommended to enhance fertility and hatchability especially in pedigree hatching.

<b>Brazil nut oil in diets for breeder cocks

“…These results corroborate with those observed by Rybnick, Horbanczuk, Naranowicz, Lukaszewicz, and Malecki (2007), Modupe, Livinus, & Ifeanyi (2013) and Bezerra et al (2016), who verified semen pH values between 6.4 and 8.0; where they also affirm that the use of lipid sources in diets for cocks directly influences semen pH and, consequently, sperm performance and viability, in which a basic pH is considered ideal for the maintenance of spermatozoa activity.…”

Optimal analysis conditions for sperm motility parameters with a CASA system in a passerine bird, Passer montanus

“…Semen of broilers has been shown to be alkaline (Orunmuyi et al 2013), and in this study, the best sperm movement status was observed at pH 7.5 and 8.0 by comprehensive consideration of sperm motility, sperm velocity and sperm movement trajectory. So, the weakly alkaline environment with a pH close to semen pH is suitable to assess the sperm motility parameters of Tree Sparrow.…”

“…The right seminal glomus of 8 males brought back to the laboratory and euthanized in 2017 was removed and cut in half in 0.5 mL of HBSS, which could keep the sperm concentration between 2 and 50 × 10 6 sperm/mL (the recommended concentration for sperm motility parameters assessment in WHO laboratory manual for the examination and processing of human semen). The preheated temperature of HBSS was set to 40 °C (the body temperature of Tree Sparrows), and the pH was set to 7.5 (according to the semen pH of poultry) (Orunmuyi et al 2013) and because weak alkaline pH has shown increased sperm movement (Holm and Wishart 1998). Next, a 10-μL sperm suspension was used for the assessment of the sperm motility parameters by the WLJY-9000 CASA system at 3, 5, 15, 20, and 30 min after dilution.…”

“…Based on the semen pH of poultry (Orunmuyi et al 2013) and previous results in other species (Holm and Wishart 1998), the pH values of HBSS in this experiment were set to three groups (7.0, 7.5 and 8.0 in group 1, 6.0, 7.0 and 7.5 in group 2, and 7.5, 8.0 and 9.0 in group 3) to control the impact of individual variation on the comparison of sperm motility parameters between different pH levels. A total of 24 birds (7 in group 1, 8 in group 2 and 9 in group 3) were used in this experiment, the right seminal glomus of which was divided into 3 equal portions with ophthalmic scissors.…”

Pengaruh NaCl Fisiologis dan Ringer Laktat terhadap Kualitas Spermatozoa pada Suhu Ruang dan Fertilitas Telur Ayam Buras

“…Telur yang terkumpul kemudian dilakukan tahap penetasan pada suhu 37,5º-38°C dan kelembaban 60-65% (Boleli et al, 2016;Addo et al, 2018). Candling dilakukan pada penetasan hari ke-7 untuk mengetahui fertilitas telur Fertilitas telur sesuai acuan Modupe et al (2013); Mohan et al (2015), Fikremariam dan Tilahun, (2016) bahwa persentase fertilitas sebagai rasio jumlah telur fertil terhadap jumlah total telur yang masukkan pada mesin tetas.…”