Effect of diluent supplementation with liquorice extract on semen quality of roosters

Abstract EN

This study was undertaken as an attempt to enhance the resistance of roosters semen to peroxidative detriments by supplementing Beltsvillc Poultry Semen Extender (BPSE) diluent of roosters semen with liquorice extract (LE).

Six treatment groups each of 7 White Leghorn cockerels, 22 weeks of age were used.

Semen samples were collected from all roosters once a week throughout the experimental period (22 - 32 weeks of age).

Treatment (1) was fresh semen and served as the control, T2 represented the semen diluted with BPSE diluent alone, while T3, T4, T5 and T6 were semen samples diluted with BPSE diluent and supplemented with 1,3,6 or 9 mg LE /100 ml of diluent, respectively.

Effects of diluent supplementation with LE on mass activity, individual motility and percentages of dead spermatozoa, abnormal spermatozoa and acrosomal abnormalities of roosters semen stored for different storage periods (0,24,48 or 72 hours) at refrigerator temperature (4 - 6 6 C) were studied.