Published in Scientific Works. Series C. Veterinary Medicine, Vol. LXV, Issue 2
Written by Lucica SIMA, Rosalie BĂLĂCEANU, Nicolae DOJANĂ
In this experiment, the influences of the breed, age, light intensity, and foot disorders on Cornish, Sussex and Plymouth Rock rooster sperm properties were monitored. The ejaculate volume, sperm density, motility and anomalies, dead spermatozoa, as well as the fecundity (calculated as hatching rate of the eggs provided by the hens inseminated by these roosters) were analyzed. Research has revealed different effects according to breed, age and light intensity on the volume of ejaculate, sperm density and motility. Ejaculate volume was higher in Cornish while density, motility, sperm anomalies and fecundity were higher in Sussex and Plymouth Rock. Age decreased significantly the ejaculated volume, and increased sperm anomalies and dead sperm percentages but didn’t modify density and motility percentages of Cornish roosters. The intensity of light improved the biological characteristics of the sperm: ejaculated volume, density and fecundity increased significantly in Cornish but not in Sussex and Plymouth Rock. In Cornish roosters, the frequency of leg disorders diminished the ejaculated volume, sperm density and egg fecundity and increased the percent of the sperm anomalies and dead sperm.
[Read full article] [Citation]
