Volume, sperm concentration, and fertilizing capacity of turkey ejaculates obtained from successive cloacal strokes during semen collection

Daily output of spermatozoa and extragonadal spermatozoal reserves in turkeys

Daily spermatozoal output (DSO) was estimated by determining the total number of spermatozoa in ejaculates of male line breeder turkeys ejaculated daily for 15 days. The DSO was constant at 520 million spermatozoa after the first 6 days of semen collection. Testicular spermatozoal reserves (TSR) and extragonadal sperm reserves (EGR) were measured 24 h after the last semen collection from turkeys ejaculated 1 x/day for 15 consecutive days (ejaculated) and 21 days after the last semen collection from turkeys previously ejaculated 1 x/wk for 12 wk (rested). The TSR concentrations were similar (P greater than .05) for ejaculated and rested groups, respectively: 117 x 10(6) and 119 x 10(6)/g for right testis; 127 x 10(6) and 135 x 10(6)/g for left testis. The total TSR were also similar (P greater than .05): 3,308 x 10(6) (ejaculated) and 4,343 x 10(6) (rested). However, EGR for ejaculated and rested groups were significantly different, with the following values, respectively: ductus deferens, 3,160 x 10(6) and 10,320 x 10(6) (P = .0005); epididymis, 58 x 10(6) and 204 x 10(6) (P less than .004); total EGR, 3,248 x 10(6) and 10,524 x 10(6) (P less than .005). This study shows that although TSR was not affected by daily semen collection, EGR was depleted by 70% of the rested value (P less than .005) when the turkeys were ejaculated daily for 15 days.