Abstract

EFFECT OF DILUENT SUPPLEMENTATION WITH LIQUORICE EXTRACT ON QUALITY AND STORAGE ABILITY OF ROOSTERS' SEMEN DURING LIQUID STORAGE

Hazim J. Al - Daraji

ABSTRACT

Six treatment groups each of 7 White Leghorn cockerels, 22 weeks of age were used. Semen samples were collected from all roosters once a week throughout the experimental period. Treatment 1 was fresh semen and served as the control, T2 represented the semen diluted with BPSE diluent alone, while T3, T4, T5 and T6 were semen samples diluted with BPSE diluent and supplemented with 1, 3, 6 and 9 mg licorice extract (LE) / 100 ml of diluent, respectively. Effects of diluent supplementation with LE on semen quality traits of roosters’ semen stored for different storage periods at 4 – 6 0 C. Results revealed that inclusion of LE into BPSE diluent resulted in significant improvement in spermatozoan motility, viability and morphology of spermatozoa and acrosomes of roosters semen stored for 24, 48 and 72 h at 4 – 6 0 C compared with T1. However, there were no significant differences between T2 and T3 in regard to traits mentioned hereinbefore. Furthermore, T5 and T6 surpass T3 and T4groups with relation to these semen characteristics.

Keywords: BPSE, roosters semen, licorice extract.