This six months study on semen morphology and effect of artificial insemination on hatchability in turkeys,Meleagrisgallopavo was conducted at Avian Conservation and Research Center, Department of Wildlife and Ecology, Ravi Campus, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore. Mature male (n = 3) and female (n = 24) birds were selected at random and were kept separately for two weeks. The female birds were divided into three groups, each group having eight females while the male birds were housed in separate cages. The tom in cage 1 was fed with poultry feed, while the toms in cage 2 and cage 3 were fed with corn and millet, respectively. All the cages were provided with separate drinking and feeding facilities.
For the collection of semen, male birds were conditioned and trained through abdominal massage. The testes of the male birds were massaged until the semen was collected using a rubber pipette and was transferred to collection vials. The mass mobility, concentration, color, morphology, volume and live-dead ratio of the collected semen were analyzed through microscope in Postgraduate Laboratory, Department of Wildlife and Ecology, Ravi Campus, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore and compared for test diets.
The laid eggs were collected from each cage and the weight of male and female birds, cage number and the weight of the egg was noted on the eggs and these eggs were transferred to storage cabinet. The eggs were then transferred to the incubators and the chick weight and hatchability percentage was recorded for natural and artificially inseminated birds.
After completion of the trial, one male and one female bird were manually eviscerated; the eviscerated carcassand sensory quality attributes, for meat sample for breast and thigh piece from male and female M. gallopavowere individually boiled and were presented to twenty semi-trained personnel for analysis of meat quality characteristics viz. meat color, juiciness, flavor, tenderness and overall acceptability.
Average semen volume for thirteen consecutive fortnights from the toms from cage 1 (fed with poultry feed) was 0.17±0.01 ml while semen volume for the toms in cage 2 (fed with corn) and cage 3(fed with millet) were recorded as 0.15±0.04 ml and 0.17±0.01 ml, respectively. Average live and dead ratio for the toms in cage 1 was 85.46±1.71while live and dead ratio for the toms in cage 2 and cage 3 were recorded as 85.15±3.05 and83.54±2.50, respectively. Average semen concentration for poultry feed, corn and millet fed toms was 6.62±1.33 (109cells/ml), 5.85±2.34 (109cells/ml)and 6.00±1.47 (109cells/ml), respectively.
Average mass motility in M. gallopavo fed with poultry, corn and millet feeds was 85.46±1.71 %, 85.15±3.05 % and 83.54±2.50 %, respectively. Average sperms without acrosome were19.23±1.83 %while acrosome defects due to hooked shaped acrosome, acrosome swelling and rounded acrosome for were recorded as 17.46±2.33 %,16.00±2.89% and 16.38±2.75 %, respectively.
Average bent head defects were 6.0±1.7 %, hooked shaped heads were 4.5±1.7 %, twin heads 4.8±1.9 %, swelled head sperms were 3.6±1.6 %, knotted head,5.6±1.2 %, larger head 5.0±1.8 % and short headed sperms were 4.8±1.4 %. Average bent mid piecedefects were 5.1±2.3 %, irregular mid piece 4.8±2.8 %, partially detached mid piece 5.0±2.5 %, swelled mid piece 5.5±1.9 %, mid piece swelled near neck region 5.0±2.4 %,knotted mid piece 4.4±2.3 % and spiral mid piece were observed 5.0±2.1 %.
Average double taildefects were recorded 4.31±2.25 %,coiled tail defects 4.00±1.73 %, knotted tail 4.77±2.20 %, bend tail 3.62±1.76 %, curled tail 4.85±2.19 %, detached tail 0.15±0.04 % and short tail defects were recorded 0.17±0.01 %.
Average hatchability from the eggs collected from naturally inseminated hens was 84.38±3.43 % while the same was recorded 89.69±3.01 % for the eggs laid by the artificially inseminated hens.
Growth parameters of male and female turkeys selected for the experiment were taken and compared. Statistically significant (p<0.05) variations in body weight, snood length, beak length, wing length, wingspan, body length, body girth, tail length, shank length, tarsus length were recorded between male and female Meleagrisgallopavo.
Positive correlation existed between body weight of the female with weight, length and width of the laid eggs. The weight of the eggs showed positively significant correlation with the length of the eggs.
The carcass characteristics viz. live body weight, thigh weight, leg piece weight, heart weight, liver weight, skull weight, gizzard weight, kidney weight, stomach weight, feather weight, lung weight, neck weight, wings weight, chest with wings weight, chest without wings weight were recorded heavier in male turkeys as compared to the females.
The chest and thigh pieces of male and female turkeys were analyzed for meat sensory quality attributes viz. color, flavour, juiciness, tenderness, oiliness and overall acceptability. Statistically significant (p<0.05) variations in color and overall acceptability in thigh and chest pieces were recorded for both the sexes.
It can be concluded from the present study that artificial insemination in turkeys is more fruitful than natural mating and influences hatchability of eggs.