TABLE OF CONTENT
Title i
Certification ii
Dedication iii
Acknowledgement iv
Table of content v
List of Tables vi
List of Figures vii
Abstract viii
Chapter One
1.0 Introduction 1
1.1 Background of the study 1
1.2 Problem statement 3
1.3 Objectives of the study 4
1.4 Justification of the study 5
Chapter Two
2.0.0 Literature Review 7
2.1.0 Origin and Distribution of Turkey 7
2.1.2 Description of Local Turkey 7
2.1.3 Turkey Production in Nigeria 8
2.2.1 Body Weight and sexual maturity 8
2.2.2 Body Weight and Semen Quality 9
2.3.1 Physiology of semen production 9
2.3.2 Physiology of Avian Sperm 10
2.3.3 Lipid Peroxidation of Semen 11
2.3.4 Metabolic Aspect of Antioxidant Defense. 12
2.4.0 Enhancing Reproductive Efficiency of Turkey 13
2.5.0 Origin and Distribution of Moringa Oleifera 14
2.5.1 Nutritional Properties of Moringa Oleifera 15
2.5.2 Amino acid Content of Moringa Oleifera leaves 15
2.5.3 Therapeutic Properties of Moringa Oleifera 16
2.5.4 Effect of Moringa Oleifera on Reproduction in Male 17
2.6.0 Origin and Distribution of Gongronema latifolium 17
2.6.1 Nutritional Properties of Gongronema latifolium 18
2.6.2 Therapeutic Properties of Gongronema Latifolium 18
2.6.3 Effects of Gongronema latifolium on Reproduction of Male Animal 19
2.7.0 Artificial Insemination 19
2.7.1 Artificial Insemination in Turkey 20
2.7.2 Semen Collection 21
2.7.3 Semen Quality Evaluation 21
2.7.3.1 Semen Colour 21
2.7.3.2 Volume of ejaculate 22
2.7.3.3 Motility Evaluation 22
2.7.3.4 Motility Evaluation Technique 23
2.7.3.5 Morphology Semen Evaluation 23
2.7.3.6 Morphology Assessments Technique 24
2.7.3.7 Sperm Concentration 25
2.8.0 The Biochemistry of Semen 26
2.8.1 Determination of Fructose Concentration 27
2.8.2 Fructose as a Constituent of Seminal Plasma. 28
2.8.3 Importance of Fructose Test in Evaluation of Fertility 28
2.8.4 Evaluation of Seminal Chemical Elements on Fertility 30
2.8.5 Sodium and Potassium Concentration in Semen 31
2.8.6 Sodium and Potassium Effects on Semen Quality and Fertility 31
2.9.0 Factors affecting poultry semen 32
2.9.1 Ambient Temperature 32
2.9.2 Micro Bacterial Contamination 32
2.9.3 Photoperiod 33
2.9.4 Nutrition 33
2.9.5 Age Factor 34
2.9.6 Oxidative stress 34
2.9.7 Frequency of Ejaculation 34
2.9.8 Breed/species variation 35
2.9.1 Semen Collection Technique 35
2.10.1 Artificial insemination 35
2.10.2 Site, Depths and Time of Insemination 36
2.10.3 Fertilizing Capacity of the Sperm Cell in vitro 37
2.10.4 Duration of Fertile Period in Turkey Hen 38
2.10.5 Evaluation of Fertility and Hatchability 39
2.11.0 Factors influence Fertility 39
2.11.1 Age Factor 40
2.11.2 Body weight of the Hen 40
2.11.3 Nutrition 41
2.11.4 Stress 41
CHAPTER THREE
MATERIALS AND METHODS 42
- Location and Duration of the study 42
3.2. Plan of the Study 42
3.3. EXPERIMENTAL MATERIALS 42
3.3.1. Materials and Processing 42
3.3.2 Procurement and Management of Experimental Animals 43
3.3.3. Training of Toms for Semen Collection 44
3.4 Data Collection 44
3.4.1 The Effect of M. oleifera and G. latifolium on Body Weight: 44
3.4.2. Semen collection 45
3.5 Semen Evaluation 45
- 5.1 Semen Colour 45
3.5.2 Semen volume 45
3.5.3 Motility Evaluation 46
3.5.4 Sperm Concentration 46
3.5.5 Dead and Live /Normal and Abnormal Spermatozoa 47
3.5.6 Sperm Morphological Evaluation 48
3.5.7 Biochemical Analysis 48
3.6 Fertility trial (Phase 1V: Fertility and Hatchability) 48
3.6.1 Artificial insemination 48
3.6.2 Egg collection, storage and hatchability 49
- Experimental Design 50
- Statistical analysis 50
Chapter Four
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
| 4.1 | Effects of M. oleifera and G. latifolium on Body Weight (kg) | 51 |
| 4.1.1 | Effects of M. oleifera supplementation on Semen Colour and Volume | 52 |
| 4.1.2 | Effects of Moringa oleifera on Progressive Motility | 53 |
| 4.1.3 | Effects of Moringa oleifera on Sperm concentration | 54 |
| 4.1.4 | Effects of Moringa oleifera on Sperm Viability (Live/Dead) | 55 |
| 4.1.5 | Effects of Moringa oleifera on Sperm Morphology | 56 |
| 4.2.1 | Effects of Gongronema latifolium on Semen Colour and Volume | 57 |
| 4.2.2 | Effects of Gongronema latifolium on Progressive Motility | 58 |
| 4.2.3 | Effects of Gongronema latifolium on Sperm Concentration | 59 |
| 4.2.4 | Effects of Gongronema latifolium on Sperm Viability (Live/Dead Ratio) | 59 |
| 4.3.1 | Effects of Gongronema latifolium on Sperm Morphology | 60 |
| 4.3.2 | Combined Effects of M. oleifera and G. latifolium on Semen colour and Volume | 62 |
| 4.3.3 | Combined Effects of M. oleifera and G. latifolium on Progressive Motility | 62 |
| 4.3.3 | Combined Effects of M. oleifera and G. latifolium on Sperm Concentration | 63 |
| 4.3.4 | Combined Effects of M. oleifera and G. latifolium on Sperm Viability | 64 |
| 4.4.1 | Combined Effects of M. oleifera and G. latifolium on Sperm Morphology | 65 |
| 4.4.2 | Effects of M. oleifera and G. latifolium inclusion on Percent Fertility of toms Semen | 66 |
| 4.4.3 | Effects of M. oleifera and G. latifolium on Percent Dead -in- Shell Embryos | 68 |
| 4.5.1 | Effects of M. oleifera and G. latifolium on Percentage Hatched Eggs | 69 |
| 4.5.2 | Combined Effects of M. oleifera and G. latifolium on Percent Dead-in -Shell Embryos | 70 |
| 4.5.3 | Combined Effects of M. oleifera and G. latifolium on Percent Egg Hatchability | 72 |
| 4.6.1 | Effect of M. oleifera and G. latifolium on Fructose Concentration in Toms Semen | 73 |
| 4.6.2 | Cations Concentration in Tom Semen fed varying levels of M. oleifera and G.latifolium | 74 |
| 4.7.1 | Effects of M. oleifera and G. latifolium on Fructose Composition of Turkey Toms Semen | 75 |
| 4.8.1 | Associations between semen quality parameters and body weight of treated tom | 76 |
CHAPTER FIVE
5.0. 0 Summary and Recommendation 78
5.1. 0 Summary 78
5.2.0 Recommendations 79
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Vitamin and mineral content of Moringa Oleifera leaf 15
Table 2: Phytochemicals/Vitamins composition of Gongronema Latifolium 18
Table3: Seminal characteristics of Domestic animals 26
Table 4: Species Differences in Chemical Composition of Seminal Plasma 30
Table 5: Composition of the Experimental Diets M. oleifera (MO): G. latifolium (GL) 43
Table 6: Treatments combination of Factorial Experimental Arrangement 44
Table7: Treatment Arrangement 44
Table 8: The Effects M. oleifera on Semen Characteristics of Turkey Toms 52
Table 9: The Effects of G. latifolium on Semen Characteristics of Turkey Toms 57
Table 10 Combined Effects of M. oleifera and G. latifolium on Semen quality Traits of Toms. 62
Table 11: Effects of M. oleifera and G. latifolium on Fertility and Hatchability of Turkey Eggs 66
Table 12: Combined Effect of M. oleifera and G. latifolium on Fertility and Egg
Hatchability of Turkey Tom’s semen 70
Table 13: Chemical Composition of Semen 0f Turkey supplemented with M. oleifera
or G. latifolium 72
Table 14: Chemical Composition Turkey Semen Fed Combined level of M. oleifera and
- latifolium 74
Table 15: Measures of Association Between Body Weight and Semen Characteristics
of Tom 76
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Semen collection, evaluation and insemination 45
Figure 2: Slide preparation 48
Figure 3: Effect of treatments on body weights of Turkeys across weeks 51
Figure 4: Viability and morphological examination (Stained spermatozoa) 56
Figure 5: Hatched live poult and dead in-shell embryos 71
ABSTRACT
The experiment was conducted to determine semen quality, fertility, egg hatchability and some biochemical parameters in Nigerian local turkey toms fed diets containing Moringa oleifera (MO), Gongronema latifolium (GL) leaf meals and their combinations. A total of 72 Nigerian local turkeys comprising of 54 males and 18 females were used for the study. The males were randomly divided into 9 treatment groups, each treatment was replicated 3 times with 2 toms per replicate. The treatment diets were given only to the toms, starting from three month of age through the experimental period. The experimental animals were fed and given water properly, twice a day without restriction. All the management practices were carried out to the best of ability. The males in all the treatment groups were weighed weekly to determine their daily and weekly body weight gain. At 26 weeks of age, toms were trained for semen collection, and 32 weeks of age, semen was collected using abdominal massages. Samples were analyzed for colour, volume, progressive motility, sperm concentration, viability and sperm morphology. Fresh semen sample were also collected per treatment in vials’ stored in ice block and analyzed for fructose, Na and K. A total of 18 hens were randomly shared 2 per treatment corresponding to the 9 treatments. Pooled Semen from each treatment was used to inseminate the hens twice a week at the beginning of egg lay and once a week subsequently. A total of 225 eggs were collected and incubated in weekly batches, analyzed for fertility and hatchability. The result revealed that M. oleifera and G. latifolium leaf meals had significant (P<0.05) effects on the semen quality parameters measured. M. oleifera fed tom at 3kg yielded the best result: ejaculate volume 0.58ml, motility= 92.93%, Conc.= 4.82(x10/ml 9), live sperm= 94.13%, normal sperm 91.38% and corresponding lower values for percentage dead and abnormal sperm. While, G. latifolium treated toms had a lower value for their semen quality parameters when compared with the control group. Interaction effects of M. oleifera and G. latifolium leaf meals were significantly (P<0.05) different. Compared with control semen quality traits were higher at 3kgMO+1.5kgGL inclusion, lower at 1.5kgMO + 1.5kgGL, and significantly reduced semen quality of toms fed 1.5kgMO+ 3kgGL diets. Similarly, the percent fertile eggs, and percent hatched eggs were greatly improved at 3kgMO diets with corresponding decrease in percent infertile eggs and dead in shell embryos than the control. However, toms fed diet at 1.5kgGL and 3kgGL had their values for these parameters being severely reduced. Hatchability values increased to 88.39% and 83.33% at 3kg MO+1.5kgGL and 3kg MO+3kgGL respectively with a decrease in percent dead- in- shell embryos to 16.99% and 19.12% respectively. Seminal fructose concentration (mg/100ml) was significantly (P<0.05) increased (5.86+2.76) at 3kgGL when compared with the control, but M. oleifera had a negligible increase in fructose concentration. However, M. oleifera fed toms (3kg) had a significant(P<0.05) increase in concentration of Na and K (0.39 and 0.35) respectively. These result suggest that improved fertility, eggs hatchability and reduction in percent embryo mortality can be achieved using M. oleifera at 3kg/100kg diet and combination of M. oleifera+G. latifolium at rate of 3kgMO+1.5kgGL, but treatment with G.latifolium at the rate of 1.5kg, 3kg and combination at rate of 1.5kgMO +3kgGL caused reduced fertility in local Nigerian turkey.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
- Background of the study
In Nigeria, poultry industry is once again experiencing growth due to the current regime’s effort at encouraging investments in the industry through several economic and agricultural policies and reforms including removal of import duties on agricultural products (Fasina et al., 2007). Notwithstanding, the current trend in growth within the industry it is still experiencing challenges as some species of poultry are left out. For instance, turkey production has not been as successful as chicken production in Nigeria. Its production is largely at the small holder level. This has been attributed to high cost of feed, inconsistencies in feeding program as well as lack of information on its nutritional requirements (Ojewola et al., 2002). Also, reproductive problems experienced under natural mating conditions, low fertility and poor hatchability as a result of poor quality semen due to oxidative stress amongst other factors (Bucak et al., 2010) militate against turkey production in Nigeria. This situation is also evident from the FAO report (FAOStat, 2011), which shows that the population of local turkeys in Nigeria is only about 1.05 million, being the smallest when compared with other poultry species. It is important to come to terms with the fact that advancement in the industry depends on the use of birds with high reproductive rate, adoption of better mating methods, use of high quality semen in insemination as well as good nutrition.