Abstract
There are several reports that the presence of hard-shelled eggs in the uteri of chicken hens at the time of artificial insemination adversely affects fertilization (Moore and Byerly, 1942; Parker, 1945; Bornstein et al., 1960). More recent research indicates that fertility is impaired by the presence of a hard-shelled egg in the uterus only if A.I. is done within the last 3 or 4 hours prior to laying, and that hens laying within 1 or 2 hours prior to A.I. also have reduced fertility (Johnston and Parker, 1970; Hughes, 1970). This indicates that some factor other than the presence of a hard-shelled egg in the uterus or the act of oviposition per se is responsible for the decreased fertilization rate. Since neurohypophysial hormones are known to cause oviposition in hens and the blood level of vasotocin increases greatly shortly before oviposition (Douglas and Sturkie, 1964), it is conceivable that these hormones may affect fertilization of hens inseminated near the time of oviposition.…
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