COCKS BEHAVIOUR DURING MASSAGE AND ITS RELATION TO EJACULATE QUALITY IN TWO LINES OF BROILER COCKS

Veselina Sredkova, Simona Popova-Ralcheva, Evgeny Petkov

Abstract: The investigation on the correlation between the reaction to massage, development of the secondary sexual characters at 7 and 18 weeks and ejaculate quality in cocks from two broiler lines was the purpose of the present study. Secondary sexual characters were measured of 7 and 18 weeks. The reaction to massage was controlled at 18-20 weeks. Based on its assessment cocks of each line were allocated into two groups, according to the age at which they responded to massage: responders at first massage and responders at 18 and 20 weeks. Quantitative and qualitative indices of the ejaculates were started at 24 weeks up to 60 weeks of age. The data received showed that cocks responding to first massage had better developed secondary sexual characters at 7 weeks and ejaculate quality. Age dynamics of quantitative and qualitative characteristics of sperm was highest at 60 weeks of age in both lines. These data suggest that the proper selection of cocks by their response to massage and development of secondary sexual characters can insure elongation of the reproductive use and higher rate of the fertilized eggs.

Keywords: behaviour to massage; cock; secondary sexual characters; sperm

Date published: 2023-03-02