The genetic control of changes in unselected traits of Wrolstad Medium White turkeys divergently selected for semen ejaculate volumes (SEV) for 16 generations (G) was studied. Genetic parameters were estimated in G 10 to 14 for embryonic mortality (EM), the incidence of pipped eggs, and for total plasma cholesterol (PC) and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC) in 16-week old birds of G 15. An attempt at determining enzyme polymorphisms in the two lines was performed in G 16. A multivariate discriminant analysis procedure was established in an attempt to classify birds as low or high SEV based on fertility and incubation records in G 10 and 12. It was determined that a more reliable, yet flexible method of estimation of variance components for heritability of embryonic mortality in turkeys is a likelihood procedure. The mean heritability estimates were -.03 and .10 for embryonic mortality in the early (Days 1- 10) and late (Days 21-28), respectively. Estimates of heritability for the incidence of pipped eggs were .21 and .08 in the low and high lines respectively. Since there were no line differences (P>.05) for PC and HDLC, data was pooled from low and high SEV lines and h² was computed to be -.03 and .26, respectively. Genetic correlation among PC, HDLC, and 16 week body weight (BW) varied from .05 between PC and HDLC, .13 PC and BW and -.34 HDLC and BW. No polymorphisms were observed for the enzymes examined in the present study. The discriminant function developed to categorize birds as low or high volume semen producers, had a moderate (.55) to high (.75) hit ratio for classification of birds as low or high volume producers in G 10 and 12. It was concluded that divergence in unselected traits, embryonic mortality and the incidence of pipped eggs, in the low and high SEV lines had a negligible additive genetic control. Cholesterol, though a major intermediate in the biosynthesis of steroid hormones, in turkeys at 16 weeks of age is not a suitable biochemical marker for SEV. Although genetic control in turkeys appears to be negligible for PC, there is a moderate and significant hereditary influence on HDLC. With a misclassification rate of .30-.40, fertility and incubation records, as demonstrated here can be used to classify birds as low or high volume semen producers. / Graduation date: 1992

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1971. / Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

The ultrastructure of the uterovaginal sperm storage glands of turkey hens was characterized. The ultrastructural morphology of these cells was monitored over an entire egg laying season. In addition, comparisons were made between glands from fertile and infertile hens. Based on ultrastructural observations, it was determined that cells of the uterovaginal sperm storage glands exhibit only a moderate level of metabolic activity. The limited presence of intracellular secretory products, along with an infrequently observed cellular release of secretory material, suggested that the effect of glandular secretion on spermatozoal survival was minimal. The density and degree of development of the apical microvilli, however, suggested that a primary function of glandular cells may be absorption of lumenal contents. The length of time that a hen has been producing eggs did not influence the ultrastructure of storage gland cells. The ultrastructural morphology of glands from hens collected immediately prior to commencement of egg production was similar to that of glands taken from hens that had completed an entire season. of egg production. Thus, the uterovaginal sperm glands were fully developed when hens started to lay eggs and remained fully developed for as long as the hens continued to lay. Aside from the observation that very few spermatozoa could be found in the uterovaginal sperm glands of infertile hens, no detectable ultrastructural differences were observed between glands from fertile and infertile hens. The uterovaginal sperm glands from infertile hens were observed to maintain the same degree of structural integrity and level of functionality as glands from fertile hens. Furthermore, there was no evidence of glandular microbial infections, nor was there evidence of an adverse immunological response at the level of the sperm glands. / M. S.

This study evaluated mating behaviors of turkeys, the effects of these behaviors on reproduction, the effects of the presence or absence of the opposite sex on reproduction and changes in serum luteinizing hormone (LH) and prolactin concentrations due to natural mating or artificial insemination. Male body conformation did not significantly affect male mating efficiency, whereas male sex drive was correlated with efficiency. Female sex drive, while positively correlated with the number of attempted matings, decreased following an incomplete or completed mating. Neither semen quality nor egg production was affected by degree of sexual activity. In males used for artificial insemination, the presence or absence of females did not affect any semen quality measurement. Egg production of artificially inseminated females was positively affected by male presence during the last third of the laying period, while fertility and hatchability of fertile eggs was not. Very few differences in serum LH or prolactin concentrations were observed following natural mating behaviors or artificial insemination. Serum LH and prolactin concentrations did not change following any male mating behavior. For mated females, a significant decrease in LH was observed in non-receptive hens following introduction of the male into the breeding pen. No changes in prolactin were observed following any female mating behavior. Although no differences were observed in LH concentration in males following semen collection, prolactin significantly increased in males maintained in the presence of females following this procedure. No changes in serum LH or prolactin concentrations were observed following artificial insemination of females. / Master of Science

No description available.

An experiment was conducted to evaluate a breeder diet containing a yeast culture as a means of improving the reproductive performance of two genetically dissimilar lines of turkey hens (designated as L and H). Two hundred hens of lines L and H, 100 hens per line, were housed in a curtain sided breeder house (10 hens/line/pen). Starting at 31 weeks of age (WOA), the hens were fed either Corn-soy (CS) or Corn soy+yeast (CS+Y,.5% Diamond V Mills "XP" yeast culture, Saccharomyces cerevisiae) diets. Between 33 and 45 WOA, the hens were mated inter se and from 45 to 51 WOA reciprocal line matings were established. Hen reproductive parameters measured between 31 and 51 WOA were, body weight (BW) change, feed intake, feed per dozen eggs, egg production, egg size, fertility, embryonic mortality, and hatchability of fertilized eggs from 7 biweekly egg settings. No differences (P>.05) were observed with yeast culture supplementation of the diet for changes in BW, egg production, egg weight, embryonic mortality, and hatchability of fertilized eggs (n= 5 biweekly hatches) of either line. A significant time by diet interaction was evident only in feed intake. There was an improved (P<.05) hen fertility in line H as a result of feeding the dietary yeast culture. When reciprocal line crosses were established between 46 and 51 WOA, hatch of fertilized eggs (n= 2 biweekly hatches) was substantially improved (p<.05) from hens fed the yeast culture containing diet. The results of this study suggest that there is a genetic factor associated with the feeding of a diet containing a yeast culture to turkey breeder hens. / Graduation date: 1993

No description available.

Four experiments were conducted on hens of turkey and Japanese quail. In Experiment I, turkey hens were fed diets containing either 0% added fat, 3.5% animal-vegetable fat blend (AV) or 3.5% dry fat product (DF). In Experiment II with turkey hens, 2 holding diets and 4 breeder diets were investigated. The holding diets contained either 0% added fat or 5% of AV. The breeder diets contained 0% added fat of 5% of one of the following: AV, corn oil (CO) or olive oil (OO). In Experiment III with Japanese quail, 3 pre-breeder (PB) and 3 breeder diets (BD) were studied. They contained either 0, 3.5 or 7% added AV. In Experiment IV with Japanese quail, all diets contained 97% of a semi-purified basal diet and 3% of one of the following: corn starch (CS), corn oil (CO), palmitic acid (PA), oleic acid (OA), linoleic acid (LA) or linolenic acid (LN). The fatty acid composition of plasma and yolk lipids of both turkeys and quail was influenced by the fatty acid composition of the diets. Quail fed a CO diet deposited more linoleic acid in the egg than did those on a LA diet. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

No description available.