Abstract:
This preliminary study was carried
out with 6
local turkey (
Meleagris
gallopavo
)
by collecting
s
emen
from 2 toms
and
i
nsemination in
to 4 hen
. The semen collection was achieved by the method of abdominal massage. It was
evaluated base
d on v
olume,
mass motility, live
-
dead
-
rati
o and sperm concentration, which were; 0.195
+
0.010mls
(Tom 1) and 0.205
+
0.024mls (Tom 2), (+++)
for both toms, 70% (for Tom 1) and 75% (for Tom 2) approximately
and 6.150 ± 0.329 x10
9
/ml and 6.295
± 0.161 x10
9
/ml for Tom1 and Tom 2 respectively. Hens were inseminated
weekly. Eggs laid were collected, stored and later incubated for hatching. Fifty four (54) eggs were incubated, (16
eggs from Hen A and 10 from Hen B, 15 from Hen C and 13 from Hen D)
, and all w
ere found to be fertile. Forty s
i
x
eggs (46 eggs i. e. 85%) were hatched (13 eggs from Hen A, 8 from Hen B, 14 from Hen C and 11 from Hen D). From
the result it was clear that semen collected from the turkeys (Toms) in Sokoto was of satisfactory
quality and can
be used fresh in artificial insemination. The result also signifies satisfactory hatchability of eggs from inseminated
hens.
