The Indian Red Jungle Fowl is a wild native gallus subspecies of Southern Asia. Semen has never been studied in this species. In order to better know the male reproductive capacities, experiments were conducted to study the semen characteristics, impact of ejaculate collection frequencies, and timing of collection on sperm quality parameters. Mean sperm concentration 800 million/mL, total sperm per ejaculate (0.015 billion), motility (63.5 %), live/total sperm (92.4 %), intact acrosome (75.5 %), and plasma membrane integrity (89.2 %) were recorded. Percentage of abnormal sperm (head, mid-piece, and tail) was 8.1 % and recovered mainly mid-piece abnormalities. The motile sperm percentage was positively correlated with intact acrosomes (r = 0.34) and plasma membrane integrity (r = 0.41). Total sperm per ejaculate (billion) was maximum at 72 h of collection followed by 24 and 48 h of collection. Daily and weekly sperm production (billion) was found maximum at 24 h of collection compared to 12, 48, and 72 h of collection. Sperm motility was higher at 24, 48, and 72 h of collection compared to 12 h of collection, but the number of live sperm were higher at 12 h of collection compared to 24, 48, and 72 h. Sperm concentration was better in the morning time, while the values for sperm viability and plasma membrane integrity were higher in the semen collected at evening time. In conclusion, the Indian Red Jungle Fowl shows a semen production quantitatively relatively low for the species as compared to domestic chicken and contrasted parameters of quality. The semen production is affected by the frequency of collection with an optimum for a daily collection preferentially held in the evening period. These results may now be used for artificial insemination and conservation program.

Semen characteristics of the Indian Red Jungle Fowl (Gallus gallus murghi)

This study was designed to evaluate a range of avian semen extenders for liquid storage of Indian Red Jungle Fowl (Gallus gallus murghi) spermatozoa at 5 °C. Semen was collected from 8 mature train...

Comparison of Extenders for Liquid Storage of Indian Red Jungle Fowl (Gallus Gallus Murghi) Spermatozoa

Artificial insemination (AI) is very helpful in solving the reproductive and biodiversity problems observed in small, closed avian populations. The successful production of fertilized eggs using AI is dependent on the collection of good quality semen. Two methods of male sexual stimulation and semen collection from captive kept capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus L.), one of the most seriously endangered grouse species in Europe, are compared in this study. Ejaculates were obtained either with the use of a dummy female or by the dorso-abdominal massage method. Differences in the individual responses of the males to the two methods of semen collection as well as in their semen quality were noted. Only sperm concentration (432.4 x 10(6) mL(-1) with dummy female and 614.5 x 10(6) mL(-1) for massage method) was significantly affected by capercaillie stimulation method. Sperm motility and morphology were not affected (P ≥ 0.05). Thus, for semen collection from captive kept capercaillie both methods can be used successfully. The dummy female can be an alternative to dorso-abdominal massage method, commonly used for semen collection from domesticated bird species.

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Comparative Examination of Capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus L.) Behaviour Responses and Semen Quality to Two Methods of Semen Collection.

The Red Jungle Fowl (Gallus gallus murghi), a native species of Southern Asia is threatened by habitat destruction, egg collection, predation and genetic hybridisation. Semen banking is one of the ...

Impact of Ejaculate Frequencies on the Quality of Red Jungle Fowl (Gallus gallus murghi) semen

A study was conducted at the poultry unit of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, Teaching and Research Farm to investigate semen characteristics and the sensitivity of semen microbes to some antibiotics in exotic (large white – LW) and local (indigenous – I) breed of turkeys for a period of six months. Data were analysed using one way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results show significant breed differences (P≤0.01) in live weight (15.24±0.88 kg and 6.53±0.53 kg) for LW and I breeds, respectively. Significant breed differences were also recorded for semen volume (0.35±0.05 and 0.18±0.02 ml), total sperm per ejaculation (7.43±1.22 and 2.77±0.29×108/ml), daily sperm output (1.02±0.17 and 0.39±0.05×108/ml), total live spermatozoa (5.68±1.12 × 108 and 1.99±0.27×108/ml), total live normal spermatozoa (4.57±0.99 ×108 and 1.76±0.24×108/ml) for LW and I breeds, respectively. In the LW breed also, sperm concentration correlated positively (r = 0.79) with semen volume, total live spermatozoa (r= 0.77) with total spermatozoa per ejaculation, daily sperm output (r=0.68) with total live spermatozoa, daily sperm output (r=0.52) with semen motility and live weight (r=0.54) with semen volume. In the I breed, there was significant and positive correlation between total live normal spermatozoa (r=0.76) with total spermatozoa per ejaculation, daily sperm output (r=0.91) and total spermatozoa per ejaculation, daily sperm output (r=0.84) and total live normal spermatozoa. Enterobacter spp. was the only microbe isolated from the semen of both LW and I breeds of turkey and was susceptible to Ciproxine (Cip) and Gentamycin (GN). There were turkey breed differences in semen characteristics in our environment, and they compare favourably with those obtained elsewhere in the tropics. The LW breed appears to have a higher reproductive potential than the I breed. Ciproxine and Gentamycin could be used in the control of bacteria in turkey semen in our environment.

	 

	Key words: Turkey semen, microbial characteristics, breeds, arid tropical environment.

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Semen and microbial characteristics of two breeds of turkeys in an arid tropical environment of Bauchi State, Nigeria

A study was carried out at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Farm, Bauchi (February - May, 2002) to investigate the effect of frequency of ejaculation (once, twice and thrice per week) on semen traits in exotic and local turkeys. The results showed that ejaculate volume, live spermatozoa, abnormal spermatozoa, sperm concentration and total sperm per ejaculate were significantly (P<0.05) higher in exotic than local turkeys, values being 0.32±0.02 vs 0.17±0.02ml, 83.83±1.33 vs 80.67±1.33%, 11.19±0.73 vs 13.61±0.73%, 4.66±70.73 vs 2.81±74.93 x 10 and 97.72±9.86 vs 50.81±10.45 x 10 . It was also shown that 9 9 sperm concentration was the only variable significantly affected (P<0.05) by frequency of ejaculation. The interaction of breeds and frequency of ejaculation also favoured (P<0.05) the exotic breed at lower frequency of ejaculation. Semen collection in turkeys is more favourable when harvested once per week since semen concentration declines progressively with increase in the ejaculation frequency. The exotic have superior genetic make-up than the local turkeys in terms of their reproductive potential.

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M.T. Bukar .

Papers

Effect of Frequency of Ejaculation on Semen Characteristics in Two Breeds of Turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) Raised in a Tropical Environment