Ultrastructural analyses of uterovaginal sperm storage glands in fertile and infertile turkey breeder hens.

The ultrastructure of the uterovaginal (UV) sperm storage glands of fertile turkey breeder hens was characterized. Sperm glands were also studied over the course of an entire egg-laying season to determine if changes in ultrastructure occurred with time. In addition, ultrastructural comparisons were made between glands from fertile and infertile hens. Protein synthesis by the sperm gland epithelial cells appeared to be limited. The rough endoplasmic reticulum was not well developed. Intracellular glycogen storage was also minimal. However, lipid stores within the epithelial cells were relatively elevated. The degree of development of the apical microvilli and the presence of baso-lateral plasma membrane folds suggested that a primary function of the glandular epithelium was absorption. The length of time that a hen had been producing eggs did not influence the ultrastructure of UV gland epithelial cells. The morphology of glands from hens collected immediately prior to the commencement of egg production was similar to that of glands taken from hens that had completed an entire season of egg production. Aside from the observation that very few spermatozoa were found in the UV sperm glands of infertile hens, no detectable ultrastructural differences were observed between glands from fertile and infertile hens. Furthermore, there was no ultrastructural evidence of a microbial infection, nor was there evidence of an immunological response at the level of the sperm glands in the infertile hens.

Effect of light environment during the adolescent period on subsequent semen volume and concentration of male turkeys.

One hundred eighty males were utilized in two field-type experiments. In one experiment, light was restricted to 6 or 12 hr of light per day at a light intensity of 10.76 1x from 12 through 28 weeks of age. In the second experiment, one flock was maintained under natural light while the other was maintained under 12-hr lights and 10.76 1x of light intensity from 12 to 31 weeks of age. All flocks were placed under a 14-hr light day and a light intensity of 32.3 1x in light-controlled houses during the breeding season. Results obtained in the first experiment showed an increase in semen volume from the first to the fourth observation period and then a decline in both flocks during the last period. Average semen volume over the entire experimental period was unaffected by light treatment during the adolescent period. Semen concentration was highest during the early part of the breeding season and gradually declined as the season progressed. Males under a 6-hr restricted light regimen during the rearing period produced an average of .6 billion more sperm cells per milliliter than did those reared under 12 hr of light per day (P less than or equal to .01). Results obtained in the second experiment showed an average semen volume throughout the breeding season of .24 and .19 ml and a semen concentration of 7.0 and 6.4 billion sperm cells per milliliter for males reared under natural light compared to those reared under 12-hr lights, respectively . These differences were significant (P less than or equal to .01). Data were subjected to polynomial analyses.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Influence of dietary protein during the pre-breeder period on subsequent reproductive performance of large white turkeys. 1. Growth, feed consumption, and female-sex-limited reproductive traits.

Large White female turkeys of a commercial variety were used to determine the effects of low dietary protein during the pre-breeder period (12 to 32 weeks of age) on subsequent reproductive performance. Diets containing 10, 12, 14, and 17% protein were fed from 12 weeks or 20 weeks to 32 weeks of age. At 32 weeks of age, all females were fed a 17% protein breeder diet. Reproductive performance was measured for a 24-week production period. Pre-breeder feed consumption and body weight gain from 12 to 32 weeks of age increased with increased dietary protein until diets contained 14% protein. Similar results were obtained when females were fed varying protein levels from 20 to 32 weeks of age. Egg production also showed an increase with increased pre-breeder dietary protein level until diets contained 14% protein. Ten fewer eggs per hen were obtained from females previously fed the 10% protein diet than those fed the 14% (20 to 32 weeks) and 17% protein diets. Pre-breeder dietary protein level did not affect age at sexual maturity, egg weight, specific gravity or shell thickness of eggs, mortality or growth, and feed consumption of progeny. Based upon the results of this study, female breeder turkeys require at least 14% protein to 20 weeks of age and 14% from 20 to 32 weeks of age for optimum egg production.

Influence of dietary protein during the pre-breeder period on subsequent reproductive performance of large white turkeys. 2. Growth, feed consumption, and male sex-limited reproductive traits.

the effect of low dietary protein during the rearing and breeding periods on the reproductive performance of Large White turkey males was examined. At 12 weeks of age 251 males were randomly divided into two groups and fed either 12 or 17% protein through 56 weeks of age. Body weight gains from 12 to 20 weeks and 20 to 28 weeks of age were significantly reduced for the males receiving the 12% dietary protein. However, after 28 weeks of age, weight differences decreased and by 56 weeks of age body weights of both groups were approximately the same. In addition, a significant reduction in feed consumption was noted for the males fed 12% protein. Males on the high protein diet experienced a higher mortality than those on the low protein diet. Low dietary protein reduced semen volume and spermatozoa concentration at 33 weeks of age, but there were no significant differences thereafter. The percentages of normal, abnormal, or dead spermatozoa were unaffected by dietary protein levels. Feeding 12% protein from 12 to 56 weeks of age to Large White turkey breeder males was adequate for high quality semen production.

Influence of dietary protein during the pre-breeder period on subsequent reproductive performance of large white turkeys. 3. The effects of semen volume and frequency of insemination on fertility and hatchability.

Large White turkey breeders of a commercial variety were used to determine the effects of pre-breeder dietary protein, frequency of insemination, and semen volume on subsequent reproductive performance. Treatments included female dietary protein levels of 10, 12, 14, and 17% fed from 12 to 32 weeks of age and 10, 12, an 14% protein from 20 to 32 weeks of age; male dietary protein levels of 12 and 17% fed from 12 to 56 weeks of age; and artificial insemination (AI) treatments of a) .025 ml of semen at weekly intervals, b) .025 ml of semen at biweekly intervals, and c) .05 ml of semen at biweekly intervals in a factorial arrangement of treatments. Male dietary treatment had no significant effect on fertility or hatchability of fertile eggs. Female pre-breeder protein levels also had no significant effect on fertility but resulted in lower hatchability of fertile eggs during the latter part of the production period when females were fed either the 10 or 12% protein pre-breeder diets. Weekly inseminations with .025 ml of semen resulted in the highest average level of fertility during the production year (90%), followed by biweekly insemination with .05 ml (87%) and .025 ml (85%) of semen, respectively. Hatchability of fertile eggs was significantly higher for hens receiving .05 ml of semen biweekly than for the other two AI treatments during the latter half of the production year only. However, weekly inseminations caused a significant decline (6.7 eggs/hen) in egg production when compared to hens inseminated at biweekly intervals. The average number of fertile eggs was greatest for females inseminated with .05 ml semen biweekly (54.3) compared to those inseminated with .025 ml of semen biweekly (53.0) or .025 ml of semen weekly (50.2).