title: Influence of pre-insemination douching and different semen extenders on fertility and hatchability of white Leghorn eggs.
abstract: 1. White Leghorn hens were artificially inseminated twice weekly with undiluted semen or semen diluted (1:3) in Tris buffer, pH 6.8 or saline solution (9 g NaCl/l); with or without pre-insemination douching of the vagina with a solution of ampicillin. 2. Pre-insemination douching reduced the bacterial load of the vagina, resulting in an improvement in fertility and hatchability, with a proportionate reduction in the embryonic mortality. 3. The fertilising and hatching abilities of saline-diluted semen were comparable with those of undiluted semen. 4. Dilution of semen with Tris buffer significantly reduced fertility, but not hatchability.
authors.affiliation: Department of Poultry Science, Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Madras, India.
authors.forename: A V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Omprakash
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Narahari
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kumararaj
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kalatharan
mesh_terms: D000667:Ampicillin / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D002645:Chickens / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility; D007315:Insemination, Artificial / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D012661:Semen / Q000502:physiology*; D012662:Semen Preservation; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D007507:Therapeutic Irrigation; D014325:Tromethamine; D014621:Vagina / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D014325:Tromethamine; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D000667:Ampicillin