Effect of season and age on Indian red jungle fowl (Gallus gallus murghi) semen characteristics: A 4-year retrospective study
Introduction
The red jungle fowl, a member of family Phasianidae and genus Gallus is considered one of the ancestors of the domestic fowl [1], [2], [3]. The red jungle fowl is enlisted as least concern in IUCN Red List of Threatened Species [4] but its population is continuously declining in its native habitat [2], [5]. Red jungle fowl is considered as endangered in Singapore list of Threatened Plant and Animal Species, facing high risk of extinction in the wild [6]. From its subspecies, Indian red jungle fowl (Gallus gallus murghi) is native to Northern India and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan [7], [8], [9], [10]. The Indian red jungle fowl population is found in restricted areas in fragments, and is more likely to collapse of genetic diversity and population decline due to sudden unexpected threats [2], [11], [12], [13]. The factors contributing in population reduction are habitat destruction, egg collection, predation and genetic hybridization with domestic fowl [7], [13].
The decline in Indian red jungle fowl needs special attention; several reports suggest adopting appropriate ex situ conservation strategies [2], [11], [12]. For ex situ in vitro conservation, semen banking is considered one of the most applicable options for bird species that are facing continuous decline in their natural habitat and the threats cannot be easily mitigated and/or ameliorated [14], [15], [16], [17], [18], [19], [20]. Cryo-banking of valuable male germplasm could be an important assisted reproductive biotechnology to maintain genetic diversity through in vitro ex situ conservation programs [8], [9]. It is well established that avian semen can be stored in frozen state for infinite period of time without significant decline in fertilizing potential [17], [21], [22]. The characteristics of the semen ejaculate viz; volume, concentration, motility, viability, plasma membrane integrity, acrosome integrity and semen quality factor determine the reproductive potential of the cocks either used in natural or artificial breeding program [8], [9], [23], [24], [25]. Nevertheless, semen quality varies with age and season of collection in birds that may affect fertilizing capacities accordingly [26], [27], [28]. The success of semen banking depends on successful cryopreservation and acceptable frozen thawed semen quality and fertility outcomes that depend on the initial quality of the ejaculate to be used in processing for cryopreservation [17], [20], [29]. The reproductive performance of the male fowl varies with age and seasons; largely differ not only in closely related bird species but also even in subspecies, breeds and/or strains of the same species [30]. Scarce available literature depicted immense variations in semen characteristics of five subspecies of red jungle fowl [8], [31]. The knowledge about retrospective seminal parameters is therefore the perquisite to achieve maximum production potential of at-risk species for ex situ in vitro conservation.
Therefore, present, 4-year retrospective study was designed to elucidate the effect of age and season (autumn, spring, summer and winter) on semen characteristics (motility, semen volume, sperm concentration, total sperm number per ejaculate, viability, semen quality factor, plasma membrane and acrosome integrity) of Indian red jungle fowl.
Section snippets
Experimental birds
The chicks of Indian red jungle fowl were reared at Avian Research Center, Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi. The Rawalpindi region (33° 36′ 0” North, 73° 4′ 0” East) is located in Southern slopes of the North-Western Himalayas including large mountain tracks with rich valleys traversed by mountain rivers. This region falls in humid and subtropical region having four seasons; autumn (13.9 °C–33.5 °C), spring (10.1 °C–23.7 °C), summer (21.5 °C–46.5 °C) and winter
Results
The data on ejaculate volume, sperm concentration and total sperm number per ejaculate of red jungle fowl from 6 to 54 months of age are given in Table 1. Semen volume, sperm concentration and total sperm number per ejaculate was recorded significantly (P < 0.05) higher at 43–54 months of age followed by 31–42, 19–30 and 6–18 months of age. The highest (P < 0.05) semen ejaculate volume, sperm concentration and total sperm number were recorded in spring season followed by winter, autumn and
Discussion
In conservation programs, the success of AI and semen cryopreservation depends on the initial semen quality of ejaculate [17]. Semen evaluation, based on in vitro measurement of sperm motility, plasma membrane integrity, viability, acrosomal integrity and semen quality factor (SQF) provides an indirect clue about the fertility potential of the males [25], [8], [23], [24]. The production of high quality semen ejaculates depends on the reproductive cycle of the species; furthermore, species or
References (68)
- et al.
Cryopreservation of Indian red jungle fowl (Gallus gallus murghi) semen
Anim Reprod Sci
(2016) - et al.
Attempts on freezing the Greylag (Anser anser L.) gander semen
Anim Reprod Sci
(2004) - et al.
Semen cryopreservation for ex situ management of genetic diversity in chicken: creation of the French avian cryobank
Poul Sci
(2007) - et al.
Predictors of success of semen cryopreservation in chickens
Theriogenology
(2008) - et al.
Comparative cryopreservation of avian spermatozoa: benefits of non-permeating osmoprotectants and ATP on Turkey and crane sperm cryosurvival
Anim Reprod Sci
(2011) - et al.
Comparative cryopreservation of avian spermatozoa: effects of freezing and thawing rates on Turkey and sandhill crane sperm cryosurvival
Anim Reprod Sci
(2012) - et al.
Evaluation of Tris–citric acid, skim milk and sodium citrate extenders for liquid storage of Punjab Urial (Ovis vignei punjabiensis) spermatozoa
Reprod Biol
(2013) Basic aspects of frozen storage of semen
Anim Reprod Sci
(2000)Semen quality in relation to semen preservation
J Dairy Sci
(1983)- et al.
Effect of semen extenders and storage time on sperm morphology of four chicken breeds
J Appl Poul Res
(2008)
Effects of dietary energy on semen production, fertility, plasma testosterone, and carcass composition of broiler- breeder males in cages
Poul Sci
Glutathione-supplemented tris-citric acid extender improves the post-thaw quality and in vivo fertility of buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) bull spermatozoa
Reprod Biol
A method of obtaining spermatozoa from the domestic fowl
Poul Sci
Use of the hypo-osmotic swelling test and aniline blue stainingtoimprove the evaluation of seasonal sperm variation in native Spanish free- range poultry
Poul Sci
Characterization of red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa) sperm: seasonal changes and influence of genetic purity
Poul Sci
Rooster semen cryopreservation: effect of pedigree line and male age on postthaw sperm function
Poul Sci
Effects of various degrees of supercooling and nucleation temperatures on fertility of frozen Turkey spermatozoa
Cryobiol
Reproductive period affects lipid composition and quality of fresh and stored spermatozoa in turkeys
Theriogenology
Seasonal and management effects on fertility of the sow: a descriptive study
Anim Reprod Sci
Spermiogenesis in commercial poultry species: anatomy and control
Poul Sci
A New poultry semen extender 2. Effect of the diluent components on the fertilizing capacity of chicken semen stored at 5° C
Poul Sci
Beltsville poultry semen extender. 9. Effect of storage temperature on Turkey semen held eighteen hours
Poul Sci
Avian semen cryopreservation: what are the biological challenges?
Poul Sci
Bioenergetic parameters of lamprey and frog liver mitochondria during metabolic depression and activity
Comp Biochem Physiology Part B Biochem Mol Biol
Effect of day length on oxidative capacities of mitochondria from red muscle of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)
Comp Biochem Physiology Part A Mol Integr Physiol
The pheasants of the world
Andersson LIdentification of the yellow skin gene reveals a hybrid origin of the domestic chicken
PloS Gen
IUCN Red list of threatened species 2015-4
Gallus gallus
IUCN Red List Threat Species
An annotated checklist of birds of Singapore
Raffles BullZool
Population status and distribution pattern of red jungle fowl (Gallus gallus murghi) in Deva Vatala National Park, Azad Jammu & Kashmir, Pakistan: a pioneer study
Pak J Zool
Semen characteristics of the Indian red jungle fowl (Gallus gallus murghi)
Eur J Wildl Res
Impact of ejaculate frequencies on the quality of Red Jungle Fowl (Gallus gallus murghi) semen
Avian Biol Res
Cited by (6)
Physical and Semen Characteristics of Mexican Creole Roosters in Summer and Autumn, at 19° North Latitude with a Constant Photoperiod
2023, Revista Brasileira de Ciencia Avicola / Brazilian Journal of Poultry ScienceSeasonal effect on semen availability and quality of racing pigeon in Thailand
2021, Veterinary WorldAge-related difference changes semen quality and seminal plasma protein patterns of Thai native rooster
2019, International Journal of Agricultural TechnologyCryoprotective effect of glycerol concentrations on Indian Red Jungle Fowl (Gallus gallus murghi) spermatozoa
2018, Avian Biology Research