The effect of tonicity of storage media for fowl semen on the occurrence of neck‐bending spermatozoa, fertility and hatchability¹

Publication RVK 208.

1. Semen of White Leghorn and Rhode Island Red males was stored for 24 h in diluents hypertonic (460 mOsm/kg H₂O) and isotonic (340 mOsm/kg H₂O) to cock seminal plasma.

2. Compared with the fertility results with semen that had been stored in the hypertonic diluent or was fresh, the fertility of the White Leghorns was not affected after storage in the isotonic diluent; a decrease (P < 0.lb05) was observed, however, using Rhode Island Red semen and isotonic diluent.

3. Fresh RIR semen contained 2.lb31% “neck‐bent spermatozoa” (NBS) which was increased to 4.lb23% and 5.lb76% after dilution in hypertonic and isotonic diluents respectively and stored for 24 h. It is doubtful whether this increase (P < 0.lb05) is the sole reason for the lowered fertility obtained with this breed after storage in the isotonic diluent.

Notes

Publication RVK 208.