Determination of Semen Characteristics and Their Effect on Hatch Results in White Layer Sire Lines
2018
Goger, Huseyin | Demirtas, Sahnur Erdogan | Yurtogullari, Sermin
This study was carried out on four fast-feathering white layer pure lines (Black, Blue, Brown and Maroon lines) which have been produced by pedigreed since 1995 at Poultry Research Institute (Ankara, Turkey). At the institute, fast feathering cockerels and slow feathering hens are mated for white layer hybrid production. The aim of the study was to determine the line with the best performance according to the hatching traits and to use it as sire line for hybrid production. For this purpose, sperm characteristics, seminal and blood plasma testosterone and 17β-oestradiol hormone levels, fertility and hatchability of eggs from four lines were determined. A total of 117 cockerels, 1019 hens and 16310 eggs were used in this three-year study. Significant genotype effects were observed on ejaculate volume, egg fertility, hatchability and semen and blood plasma testosterone concentrations (p<0.05). Hatchability of the Blue and Brown lines was higher than that of the Black and Maroon lines (p<0.05). Heritability coefficients of fertility (sire + dam) were estimated for the Black, Blue, Brown and Maroon lines, with the values reaching 0.29 ± 0.18, 0.59 ± 0.18, 0.11 ± 0.07 and 0.11 ± 0.06, respectively.
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