الفهرس 
Experimental birds and managementOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION
This study was carried out at a private commercial duck
production farm located in Kafr El- Sheikh Governorate, Egypt. The main
objective of the study was to apply the artificial insemination (AI)
technique for mule duck production under the prevailing conditions in
Egypt. The effect of dietary fortification with Vitamin E + Selenium,
vitamin C and Vitamin A supplementation on semen quality traits of
Muscovy drakes was also investigated.
A total of 40 Muscovy drakes were chosen according to their
phenotype for the subsequent procedures (10 drakes / treatment). They
were randomly divided into four groups. The first group was fed the basal
diet and kept as a Control group; the second group was fed the basal diet
supplied with 200 ppm of Vitamin E- Selenium (Vit. E + Se); the third
group was fed the basal diet supplied with 500 ppm of vitamin C (Vit. C);
while the fourth group was fed 20 ppm of Vitamin A (Vit. A). Semen
collection was performed at biweekly intervals. Semen evaluation tests
include volume (ml), progressive motility, concentration, dead (%) and
abnormal spermatozoa (%), was routinely determined traits.
Five Extenders had been tested, for improving semen quality with
three different storage periods under the four dietary treatments, and
artificial insemination technology was applied to test fertility and
hatchability.
Results obtained could be summarized as follows:
1- Semen volume was significantly increased with dietary vitamins
supplementations to Muscovy drakes. This increase was reached to
26.14; 25.0 and 15.91% for vit. E+Se; vit. C and vit. A, respectively
compared with the control diet- fed drakes.
2- There were significant increases in semen volume as age of drakes
advanced (up to 42 wks of age).
3- The percentage of motile spermatozoa was significantly increased
with dietary supplements especially with vit C and A supplements.
4- The progressively motile sperm (%) was significantly increased for
semen samples that collected at 38 WOA compared with the other
periods.
5- Spermatozoa concentration was significantly increased by about
33.45; 28.72 and 23.99% (compared with the control) with feeding
Muscovy drakes on vit. E+Se, vit. C and A, respectively. Also, the
concentration increased with age.
6- Fortification of Muscovy drakes diet with vitamin E+Se, C and A
reduced significantly the percentage of abnormal spermatozoa in
semen samples collected at different age.
7- There was significant increase in coiled-tail spermatozoa in semen
samples from the control basal diet- fed drakes compared with the
other groups.
8- The percentage of coiled-tail spermatozoa was significantly increased
with age, where the lowest value was recorded at 30 WOA, while the
highest value was obtained at 42 WOA.
9- There were significant increases in the sperm clumps in semen
samples from control feeding drakes while the lowest values were
receded for vit. C and vit. E+Se fed drakes.
10- Age had deleterious effect on the percentage of sperm clumps with
better values recorded for young age drakes.
11- Dietary supplementation with different vitamins reduced significantly
the percentage of dead spermatozoa, compared with the control. The
best (lowest) dead % was recorded for vit. A followed by vit. E+Se
fed drakes.
12- Semen extenders significantly affect different semen quality traits.
The best extender for spermatozoa motility was B, E and D. the fresh
semen (diluted with saline solution) gave also best results.
13- The interaction effects between dietary supplements and semen
extenders gave interesting results, where the best motility % was
obtained by using semen samples from vit. C and vet. E+Se fed
drakes with the new proposed extender E.
14- Semen samples from vit. E-Se and vit. C fed drakes gave best motility
with extender B, while the D extender was better for vit. C and vit. A
fed- drakes semen samples.
15- The proposed semen extender E followed by D and then B gave the
best results for the percentage of dead sperms.
16- There were significant decreases in the total abnormal spermatozoa
(%) by using the proposed E extender followed by B, D and then A
and C extenders, respectively.
17- No significant effect was observed in the % of sperm clumps
associated with the all applied extenders.
18- Storage period has a significant reduction effect on sperm motility
after 12 hours of storage at 5°C. The same was also observed for dead
and abnormal spermatozoa.
19- The fertility % was higher by using semen samples diluted with E, B
and D extenders, besides the neat semen.
20- Feeding of vit. C enriched diet to Muscovy drakes improved the
fertility (%) of their semen samples especially when E, B and D
extenders were used as diluents.
21- Hatchability percentage was better for vit. E+Se fed drakes semen
diluted with B or E extenders.
22- Plasma FSH and LH concentrations were significantly increased in
blood of vit. C and vit. A- fed drakes.
23- A significant increase in the concentration of testosterone, T3 and T4
in plasma of vit. E-Se, vit. C and then vit. A- fed drakes.
24- Vitamin C and A significantly increased the plasma concentration of
IGF-I of drakes.
25- Blood plasma levels of alkaline phosphatase, AST and cholesterol
were significantly increased with dietary vitamins- supplements
compared by the control feeding drakes.
26- No significant effects of treatments on plasma total protein, albumin,
globulin, and acid phosphate levels were detected.
27- Seminal plasma constituents were related to the semen quality traits
especially AST, ALT and alkaline phosphates activities.
Based on the present results, it is concluded that fortification of
Muscovy drakes diet with different vitamins supplements can improve
semen quality traits and enhances the fertility and hatchability of mule
eggs. Furthermore, the study was able to create two new semen extenders
comparable to those imported from foreign countries. These extenders
could be used in commercial mule duck - producing farms with
satisfactory results, perhaps exceeds those well - established extenders.
The price of our new proposed extenders was very cheap depending on
their constituents.
It is recommended to use the second extender
E (ASUE-B) in artificial insemination for Mule ducks production, under
the Egyptian environmental conditions.