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Effect of Organic Zinc Supplementation on Fertility of White Leghorn Hens Inseminated with Cryopreserved Semen

Shanmugam, M*, Kannan, A, and Mahapatra, R.K

ICAR-Directorate of Poultry Science, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad-30, India

Malaysian J. Anim. Sci. 2022 25(1): 44-50

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Organic zinc supplementation in hens has been reported to improve fertility. The current study evaluated the effect of organic zinc supplementation in hens on fertility after insemination with cryopreserved semen. White Leghorn rooster semen was cryopreserved using 4% dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) in 0.5ml French straws. Different semen parameters and fertility were assessed in post-thawed samples. White Leghorn hens were divided into 5 groups with 30 birds in each group. Each group was further divided into six replicates of five birds each. The control group was fed a basal diet, other groups were fed with a basal diet supplemented with 40, 60, 120 and 160 mg/kg organic zinc (zinc proteinate). After two weeks of feeding, insemination was done in hens per vagina using thawed semen (200 million sperm/0.1 ml). Basal group hens were inseminated with fresh or cryopreserved semen and served as control groups. Sperm motility, live sperm, and acrosome intact sperm parameters were significantly (P < 0.05) lower in post-thaw semen samples. Fertility from cryopreserved semen was significantly (P < 0.05) lower and organic zinc supplemented hens had fertility similar to that of cryopreserved semen inseminated into basal diet group hens. In conclusion, organic zinc upplementation in hens does not improve fertility after insemination with 4% DMSO cryopreserved semen.