Semen characteristics and fertility response of crosses between white and black plumage indigenous turkeys under artificial insemination

Semen quality and fertility in crossbreeding between white plumage and black plumage indigenous turkey hens using artificial insemination were investigated. Eighty-two healthy indigenous turkeys, comprising 72 hens (Thirty-two black and forty white) and 10 toms (five black and five white) were used. The turkeys were grouped into four treatments based on the breeding plans: T1 (White toms X White hens), T2 (Black toms X Black hens), T3 (White toms X black hens) and T4 (Black toms X White hens). Semen was harvested from white toms, pooled, and inseminated at 0.02ml into hens in T1 and T3. Semen harvested from black toms were also pooled and inseminated at same dose into hens in T2 and T4. White tom semen quality parameters were 97%, 91%, 96%, and 532×10⁶ cells/mL for mass activity, motility, livability, and sperm concentration, respectively. Black tom semen quality parameters were 91%, 93%, 95%, and 293×10⁶ cells/mL for mass activity, motility, livability, and sperm concentration, respectively. Egg fertility were 99.63% in T1, 99.81% (T2), 99.84%(T3), and 99.27% (T4). Hatchability in T1, T2, T3, and T4 were 57.67%, 72.54%, 67.65%, and 64.82%, respectively. Besides sperm concentration, semen quality parameters and fertility in indigenous turkey were not affected by plumage colour