SEMEN DONOR SELECTION BY IN VITRO SPERM MOBILITY INCREASES FERTILITY AND SEMEN STORAGE IN THE TURKEY HEN

Authors: Donoghue, Ann - Annie; HOLSBERGER, DENISE - UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND; EVENSON, D - SOUTH DAKOTA STATE UNIV; FROMAN, D - OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY

Submitted to: Journal of Andrology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/6/1998
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: The purpose of this study was to evaluate individual toms using an objective sperm motility assay. Semen from toms ranked in the highest and lowest 10% after 3 evaluations were pooled by group and used to inseminate hens weekly. Fertility from hens inseminated with semen from the high sperm motility males was higher than fertility from the low sperm motility group in each trial. Motility differences between males influenced sperm storag in the hen and fertility outcome. This study is important because the sperm motility results correlated with fertility outcome. This motility assay will be beneficial to producers, allowing them to evaluate toms before use in commercial breeding programs.

Technical Abstract: The purpose of this study was to evaluate individual toms using an objective sperm mobility assay, pool semen by mobility phenotype and evaluate hen sperm storage and fertility. Semen from each ejaculate (2 trials, total of 169 toms) was evaluated using an Accudenz motility assay. Semen from toms ranked in the highest and lowest 10% after 3 evaluations were pooled by group and used to inseminate hens weekly. Fertility from hens inseminated with semen from the high phenotype males was higher than fertility from the low phenotype group in each trial. Motility differences between males influenced sperm storage in the hen and fertility outcome.