title: Assessing the breeding efficiency of broiler breeder flocks by measuring sperm transfer into laid eggs.
abstract: 1. The breeding efficiency of broiler flocks was assessed by estimating the numbers of spermatozoa trapped in a 5.5 mm2 area of the perivitelline layer of laid eggs. 2. In samples of approximately 60 eggs taken from flocks on the same day, the numbers of spermatozoa ranged from 0 to several hundred. 3. Within each sample of eggs, there appeared to be two distinct populations: eggs in which perivitelline spermatozoa could not be found; and eggs containing spermatozoa for which the logarithm of the number of perivitelline spermatozoa can be approximated by a normal distribution. 4. When data from 15 flocks were considered, the overall flock fertility was linearly correlated with: the median of the number of spermatozoa per 5.5 mm2 of perivitelline layer (r = 0.678); the mean of positive values of the logarithm of the number of spermatozoa (r = 0.620); and the proportion of sampled eggs in which the number of perivitelline spermatozoa was greater than 0 (r = 0.714). 5. Flock age was the major factor influencing fertility and all the variables of perivitelline sperm distribution.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Life Sciences, University of Abertay Dundee, Scotland.
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Wishart
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Staines
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility; D008297:Male; D010063:Ovum / Q000502:physiology; D013084:Sperm-Ovum Interactions; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000502:physiology; D014817:Vitelline Membrane / Q000502:physiology