Aspects of Biological Changes in Breeder Toms after Treatment with Subcutaneous Cadmium Injection: Study of Some Semen Characteristics

Abstract

Monsi, A., Cecil, H.C. and Bakst, M.R. 1993. Aspects of biological changes in breeder toms after treatment with subcutaneous cadmium injection: Study of semen characteristics. J. Appl. Anim. Res., 4: 83–90.

Changes in reproductive parameters of breeder toms injected with cadmium chloride (CdCl² 2.5H²O) were studied. Each treated member of twenty-four pairs of yearling toms was given 4.5 mg Cd/kg body weight. Six birds each were subsequently killed at 0, 6, 24 and 192 h and evaluated for selected semen characteristics. Elevated (P<0.001) Cd concentration was observed in the seminal plasma of the treated toms due possibly to Cd-induced inactivation of the blood-testis barrier. However, the 5-fold increase in the Cd level hardly inflicted any injurious effect on the cellular integrity of the sperm cells since live/dead percentage of spermatozoa did not differ significantly from that of control. Among other possible mechanisms Cd sequestration could have protected the sperm cells. It is further suggested that the level of Cd in seminal plasma could be used as a reliable index of Cd exposure in toms and could also provide useful baseline information for comparison with the unexposed bird. Other semen characteristics also were not affected (P<0.05) by Cd treatment indicating that turkeys are more resistant to Cd-induced testicular impairment as compared to mammals.

Key Words:

• Semen characteristics
• breeder toms
• cadmium injection