EFFECTS OF FREQUENCY OF SEMEN COLLECTION AND INSEMINATION, AND NUMBER OF SPERMATOZOA INSEMINATED ON REPRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE OF TURKEYS

Abstract

Two experiments were conducted using broiler-type turkey breeders to determine the optimum frequency of semen collection, the frequency of insemination, and the minimum number of spermatozoa inseminated for efficient utilization of males and the maintenance of high levels of fertility. In each experiment, 60 males were housed in litter floor pens with 10 males per pen. In the first experiment semen was collected one, three or five times a week. At biweekly intervals, individually caged hens were inseminated with 0.02 mL of undiluted pooled semen from males under each semen collection frequency. On alternate weeks semen volume, spermatozoa concentration and percent live spermatozoa were determined. In the second experiment, semen was collected three times a week and individually caged hens were inseminated weekly or biweekly with diluted semen containing 50, 100 and 200 × 106 spermatozoa. Each experiment was carried out over a production cycle of 16 wk. Increased frequency of semen collection decreased (P < 0.05) semen volume, spermatozoa concentration and percent live spermatozoa. Fertility of semen was highest (P < 0.05) when collected three times a week during the production cycle and when inseminated weekly in doses containing 100 or 200 × 106 spermatozoa. Overall, fertility declined with the stage of the production cycle. Key words: Turkey, semen collection frequency, AI frequency, spermatozoa number, fertility