Breeding of the White-naped Crane Grus vipio by Artificial Insemination

Abstract

The artificial insemination between a male and a female White-naped Cranes Grus vipio, kept apart, was tested. The semen was collected by the abdominal massage method of Archibald (1974) and Erickson (1975). After collection, undiluted semen was carried to Ueno Zoological Garden from Tama Zoological Park at normal temperature and was immediately inseminated to female. All eggs laid after insemination were put incubator. The average volume of semen collected by the abdominal massage method was 0.17ml (0.01-0.40), and the number of sperms 2, 250, 000-2, 480, 000/mm3 pH 7.16 (7.1-7.2). Of the 11 eggs laid by insemination, only one egg laid 4 days after insemination was fertile, from which a normal chick hatched.