Successful use of artificial insemination in the production of red-legged partridges (Alectoris rufa)

This paper reports the first successful artificial insemination (AI) of red-legged partridges (Alectoris rufa), the fertility rate achieved, and the length of time sperm cells can survive inside the oviduct (i.e.;the post-AI fertile period). Semen from 20 mature males was collected by massage and pooled for use in single intravaginal inseminations (20 μL of fresh, undiluted semen) of eight females (15 × 106 sperm/female). The latter’s eggs were then collected for 4 weeks, and the fertilizing capacity of the sperm used in the preceding AIs was determined by observing the development of the blastoderm. The duration of the post-AI fertile period was determined by subjecting fertilized eggs to the SP-holes assay. A second experiment was then performed to measure the percentage of viable embryos at 20 days of incubation (30 %) and hatchability (40 %). The mean fertility rate was 34.5 ± 11.7 % and the SP-holes value 17.3 ± 4.3. The mean duration of the post-AI fertile period was 3 weeks. In conclusion, the present work reports the first ever birth of partridge chicks following AI and shows that this procedure may be of use in the conservation of this species. © 2015, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	Abouelezz, F. M. K., Castaño García, Cristina, Toledano Díaz, Adolfo, Esteso Diez, Milagros Cristina, López Sebastián, Antonio, García Dávila, Sara, Gil, M. G., Cuenca, O. T., Campo, J. L., Blesbois, E., Santiago Moreno, Julián
Format:	artículo biblioteca
Language:	English
Published:	Springer 2015
Subjects:	Artificial insemination, Fertility, Red-legged partridges, Sperm,
Online Access:	http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12792/5881 http://hdl.handle.net/10261/292740
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