EFFECTS OF DILUENTS, AGE OF SEMEN AND INSEMINATION DOSES ON VIABILITY AND FERTILITY OF TURKEY SEMEN PRESERVED AT AMBIENT TEMPERATURE

📄 Project Abstract

Turkey, a large poultry bird, is fast gaining popularity among peasant farmers in the country to the extent that they are produced throughout the year for commercial purpose. All over the world Turkey is produced by breeders due to its body size, comformation and edible meat yield. Reproductive traits like its oviparous nature and low to medium fertility have not prevented a reasonable rate of improvement under natural condition even in developing countries (Esminger, 1977).Following the quest for massive production of animals like pigs, rabbit and poultry with short reproduction cycle as a major remedy to acute animal protein shortage in Nigeria, emphasis is placed on poultry and its products because they are acceptable to almost all peoples, religions and communities. Among all the species of poultry in Nigeria, turkeys appear to be the less distributed with a population of (0.2 million) (FDLPCS, 1992). However, it is highly cherished due to its large body size and high meat q...