Semen characteristics of purebred naked neck tswana and black australorp x naked neck tswana crossbred chickens under an intensive management system in Botswana

Abstract

Evaluation of semen quality is very important before selection of breeding cocks used for artificial insemination. The aim of this study was to characterize the semen parameters of Black Australorp x naked neck Tswana chickens and purebred indigenous naked neck Tswana chickens raised under intensive management system in Botswana. Semen was collected from sixty four (64) purebred naked neck Tswana and sixty four (64) crossbred (Black Australorp X naked neck Tswana) cocks at 20 weeks of age for semen evaluation using the abdominal massage technique. Semen parameters evaluated included ejaculate volume, semen pH, sperm motility, sperm concentration and sperm viability. Crossbred cocks had significantly higher (p0.05). Both purebred naked neck Tswana and Black Australorp x naked neck Tswana crossbred chickens produced semen of acceptable quality. Crossbred cocks however produced better quality semen than their purebred counterparts. Crossbreeding can therefore be used as a strategy to improve semen characteristics of indigenous Tswana chickens under an intensive management system.