Artificial insemination in geese

Abstract

Currently most breeds and lines of geese in use at a commercial scale are derived from two wild species; the swan goose (Anser cygnoides L.) and the true goose-greylag (Anser anser L.). Interestingly, local selections performed for centuries from these two ancestors have resulted in strains or breeds expressing large differences for a range of phenotypic traits including size, body weight, feather colour, behaviour and physiology (including reproductive performance), along with carcass characteristics, flavour and chemical composition of the meat.

When compared with other poultry species, the main factors that have limited geese production and geese meat consumption in Europe are the seasonality of its reproduction and the low fertility of breeder flocks (e.g. egg production, fertility and hatchability rates, low male to female ratio, poor semen quality) associated with, on average, relatively high proportions of lipid tissues in the carcasses of their progeny. Some of the above problems can be eliminated or at least reduced by the application of artificial insemination procedures and by selective breeding on fertility and seasonality.

The present paper reviews the main particularities of artificial insemination techniques developed in the goose with regards to the morphology and physiology of male reproductive organs. The main characteristics of ejaculates along with some morphological aspects of sperm morphology, semen collection procedures and semen quality assessment are also described. Finally, geese insemination procedures along with their interests and limits are discussed.

Keywords::

• goose
• artificial insemination
• semen quality assessment