AVALIAÇÃO IN VIVO DE DIFERENTES DILUENTES COMERCIAIS NA REPRODUÇÃO DE GALOS DA RAÇA ÍNDIO GIGANTE (Gallus Gallus Domesticus)

Abstract

Because of the growing demand for Indio Gigante birds, whether for meat, laying and especially as ornamental birds, the breed's reproduction has been intensified. Many Índio Gigante producers are already using Artificial Insemination (AI) to improve the breed's desirable characteristics. However, the AI performed by most producers is still empirical and without much theoretical basis. The use of refrigerated semen from roosters is an alternative for breeders looking to overcome the distances in Brazilian territory, increasing viability time and allowing the transportation of genetic material. There are some specific diluents for poultry, but they need to be formulated in a laboratory or imported from other countries. Identifying a commercial diluent for other species that allows the use of semen from genetically superior roosters to be optimized would be beneficial for the production chain of the giant Indio rooster. For the experiment, 10 Indio Gigante roosters were used to evaluate commercial semen diluents used in other domestic animal species: Optidux®, Botudog Turbo®, BotuBov® and Botusêmen Special® and pure semen. After collection, a pool of semen was made and an aliquot was taken for analysis of seminal characteristics (color, volume, vigor, concentration, mass movement, sperm motility and cell defects).The sample was then split into five 15 mL falcon tubes and diluted with the different diluents and refrigerated for 12 hours. The samples were kept in a specific box for storing semen (Botuflex®) at 5 ºC. To assess the fertility rate and hatchability, 70 laying hens of the Embrapa 051 strain were used, divided into 5 groups of 14 animals each. The hens were inseminated with a single dose of refrigerated semen from each treatment. The eggs were collected 14 days after artificial insemination and incubated to assess fertility and hatchability. The fertility rate of the treatments evaluated was 32.61%; 7.79%; 2.04%; 0%; and 0%; for the diluents Botusêmen Special®, Pure Semen, Botudog Turbo®, Optidux® and Botubov® respectively. The hatchability rate was 85.27%; 59.26%; 22.22%; 0%; and 0%; for the diluents Botusêmen Special®, Pure Semen, Botudog Turbo®, Optidux® and Botubov® respectively. The Botusêmen Special® diluent had a fertility and hatchability rate of 32.61% and 85.27% respectively, higher than the other diluents tested in this study.