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Elemental Analysis of Turkey Semen
ELEMENTAL ANALYSIS OF TURKEY SEMEN F. L.
CHERMS
Department of Poultry Science, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706 (Received for publication September 19, 1967)
TABLE 1.—Dry matter content of turkey semen Stock
Bronze
Collection dates
11/23-12/28 29.59 1/24- 2 / 8 25.29 2/15- 5/31 16.44 Totals
White
Semen »TWet vol. semen (cc.) wt. (g.) 26.03 21.21 16.34
Dry % semen Dry wt. (g.) matter 2.88 2.52 1.89
11.06 11.88 11.57
71.32
63.58
7.29
11/23-12/29 29.57 1/24- 3/ 1 23.85 3/15- 5/31 24.62
25.09 22.05 23.67
2.58 2.43 2.72
10.28 11.02 11.49
Totals
70.81
7.73
10.91
78.04
lection dates, there is a gradual increase in % dry matter as the breeding season progresses. Levels of calcium, aluminum, barium, strontium, manganese, and chromium were not high enough to be measured by the assay procedure. The respective levels for each of these were below the following values: 5, 1.0, .17, .09, .17, and .23 mg./lOO ml. The levels of the eight elements that were present in detectable quantities are shown in Table 2. Examination of the data from the two breeds shows little difference between them. An exception to this is copper. When the values for the three collection periods were averaged, semen from White toms contained about three times the level of copper as that from Bronze toms. The greatest difference occurred during the latter half of the breeding season when White toms had a level of 4.7 mg./lOO ml. and Bronze toms a level of 0.88 mg./lOO ml. It is well documented that copper has an inhibitory action upon semen motility in mammals (Mann, 1964). MacLeod (1946) reported that copper, at a level of 30 gamma/c.c, has an inhibitory effect on human spermatozoa. It was also shown that the
1605
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Florida Atlantic University on June 8, 2016
The review of the biochemical composition of semen by Mann (1964) illustrates the sparsity of this type of data on avian semen. Recent increases in the use of artificial insemination, along with interest in semen dilution and preservation in turkeys, points out the need for more detailed examination of turkey semen. The purpose of the present study was to ascertain the elemental content of whole semen obtained during various times of the breeding season from two breeds of turkeys. It was also possible then to determine any changes that may occur due to length of time the toms were in semen production. Toms used in this study were hatched in late March and early April. At 12 weeks of age, they were placed on range and remained there until late fall. Semen collections began in late November and were carried on for a period of six months. At each collection, 10 to 12 males were used as semen donors. As the season progressed, the number of toms producing semen gradually declined. Attempts were made to determine the level of 14 elements in whole semen by a Jarrell-Ash Direct Reading Spectrophotometer. Since semen quantities from individual toms are small, it was necessary to use pooled semen collected on several days. Following each collection, the semen was placed in a drying oven at 85°C. for a minimum of seven days. Yields of dry semen at each collection period for the two breeds are shown in Table 1. There is little difference between breeds with the semen from bronze toms exhibiting the slightly higher yield. When the data for each breed are combined by col-
1606
RESEARCH
NOTES
TABLE 2.—Elemental analysis of semen from two breeds of turkeys
Element
White
Collection periods
Collection periods
11/2312/28
1/242/8
2/55/31
Ave.
11/2312/28
1/243/1
3/155/31
Ave.
0.30* 0.59 3.40 7.30 180 92 250 9.60
0.42 0.77 3.80 8.40 180 77 250 11.5
0.39 0.88 3.90 6.70 150 69 230 10.5
0.37 0.75 3.70 7.50 170 79 243 10.5
0.27 0.59 4.20 7.30 190 89 280 9.10
0.45 0.88 3.80 9.00 190 84 280 11.1
0.45 4.70 5.20 7.60 170 84 250 11.6
0.39 2.06 4.40 8.00 183 86 270 19.6
* All values in mg./lOO ml.
cells could be protected against this inhibitory action by the addition of sulphydrylgroups. Thus, the levels found in semen from white toms at the latter part of the breeding season would inhibit motility of human spermatozoa. It is not known at present if this level of copper has an inhibitory effect on sperm motility in turkeys.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
This work was supported by a research grant from the National Turkey Federation. REFERENCES MacLeod, J., 1951. Sulphydryl groups in relation to the metabolism and motility of human spermatozoa. J. Gen. Physiol. 34, 705. Mann, T., 1964. The Biochemistry of Semen and of the Male Reproductive Tract, 2nd edition, John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York.
PERSISTENCE OF HEPTACHLOR IN EGG YOLKS1 E. L. WISMAN, R. W. YOUNG2 AND W. L. BEANE Poultry Science Department, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061 (Received for publication October 11, 1967)
During the conduct of a more involved study on pesticide residues in poultry, the occasion was presented to observe the total depletion time of heptachlor in egg yolk from hens fed low levels of the pesticide in the feed. The results are shown in Figure 1. Levels of 0.1, O.S, and 1.0 p.p.m. of heptachlor were blended into a standard laying ration previously determined to be free of 1 This investigation was conducted as part of the Southern Regional Research Project S-22 (Pesticide Residues of Plant and Animal Products and Soil). 2 Department of Biochemistry and Nutrition, Virginia Polytechnic Institute.
any chlorinated hydrocarbons and the diets fed ad libitum to Leghorn-type hens for a period of seven weeks. The hens, ten per treatment group, were in peak production and were housed in individual cages. The yolks from all eggs laid the seventh day of each week were pooled by treatment groups and analyzed for heptachlor and heptachlor epoxide by the gas chromatographic, electron-capture method described by Stemp et al. (1964). No measurable amounts of heptachlor per se were detected. The hens were continued on the standard ration following the withdrawal of the heptachlor additive until no heptachlor expoxide was detected in the yolks.
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Florida Atlantic University on June 8, 2016
Boron Copper Iron Magnesium Phosphorus Potassium Sodium Zinc
Bronze
CHERMS
Department of Poultry Science, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706 (Received for publication September 19, 1967)
TABLE 1.—Dry matter content of turkey semen Stock
Bronze
Collection dates
11/23-12/28 29.59 1/24- 2 / 8 25.29 2/15- 5/31 16.44 Totals
White
Semen »TWet vol. semen (cc.) wt. (g.) 26.03 21.21 16.34
Dry % semen Dry wt. (g.) matter 2.88 2.52 1.89
11.06 11.88 11.57
71.32
63.58
7.29
11/23-12/29 29.57 1/24- 3/ 1 23.85 3/15- 5/31 24.62
25.09 22.05 23.67
2.58 2.43 2.72
10.28 11.02 11.49
Totals
70.81
7.73
10.91
78.04
lection dates, there is a gradual increase in % dry matter as the breeding season progresses. Levels of calcium, aluminum, barium, strontium, manganese, and chromium were not high enough to be measured by the assay procedure. The respective levels for each of these were below the following values: 5, 1.0, .17, .09, .17, and .23 mg./lOO ml. The levels of the eight elements that were present in detectable quantities are shown in Table 2. Examination of the data from the two breeds shows little difference between them. An exception to this is copper. When the values for the three collection periods were averaged, semen from White toms contained about three times the level of copper as that from Bronze toms. The greatest difference occurred during the latter half of the breeding season when White toms had a level of 4.7 mg./lOO ml. and Bronze toms a level of 0.88 mg./lOO ml. It is well documented that copper has an inhibitory action upon semen motility in mammals (Mann, 1964). MacLeod (1946) reported that copper, at a level of 30 gamma/c.c, has an inhibitory effect on human spermatozoa. It was also shown that the
1605
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Florida Atlantic University on June 8, 2016
The review of the biochemical composition of semen by Mann (1964) illustrates the sparsity of this type of data on avian semen. Recent increases in the use of artificial insemination, along with interest in semen dilution and preservation in turkeys, points out the need for more detailed examination of turkey semen. The purpose of the present study was to ascertain the elemental content of whole semen obtained during various times of the breeding season from two breeds of turkeys. It was also possible then to determine any changes that may occur due to length of time the toms were in semen production. Toms used in this study were hatched in late March and early April. At 12 weeks of age, they were placed on range and remained there until late fall. Semen collections began in late November and were carried on for a period of six months. At each collection, 10 to 12 males were used as semen donors. As the season progressed, the number of toms producing semen gradually declined. Attempts were made to determine the level of 14 elements in whole semen by a Jarrell-Ash Direct Reading Spectrophotometer. Since semen quantities from individual toms are small, it was necessary to use pooled semen collected on several days. Following each collection, the semen was placed in a drying oven at 85°C. for a minimum of seven days. Yields of dry semen at each collection period for the two breeds are shown in Table 1. There is little difference between breeds with the semen from bronze toms exhibiting the slightly higher yield. When the data for each breed are combined by col-
1606
RESEARCH
NOTES
TABLE 2.—Elemental analysis of semen from two breeds of turkeys
Element
White
Collection periods
Collection periods
11/2312/28
1/242/8
2/55/31
Ave.
11/2312/28
1/243/1
3/155/31
Ave.
0.30* 0.59 3.40 7.30 180 92 250 9.60
0.42 0.77 3.80 8.40 180 77 250 11.5
0.39 0.88 3.90 6.70 150 69 230 10.5
0.37 0.75 3.70 7.50 170 79 243 10.5
0.27 0.59 4.20 7.30 190 89 280 9.10
0.45 0.88 3.80 9.00 190 84 280 11.1
0.45 4.70 5.20 7.60 170 84 250 11.6
0.39 2.06 4.40 8.00 183 86 270 19.6
* All values in mg./lOO ml.
cells could be protected against this inhibitory action by the addition of sulphydrylgroups. Thus, the levels found in semen from white toms at the latter part of the breeding season would inhibit motility of human spermatozoa. It is not known at present if this level of copper has an inhibitory effect on sperm motility in turkeys.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
This work was supported by a research grant from the National Turkey Federation. REFERENCES MacLeod, J., 1951. Sulphydryl groups in relation to the metabolism and motility of human spermatozoa. J. Gen. Physiol. 34, 705. Mann, T., 1964. The Biochemistry of Semen and of the Male Reproductive Tract, 2nd edition, John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York.
PERSISTENCE OF HEPTACHLOR IN EGG YOLKS1 E. L. WISMAN, R. W. YOUNG2 AND W. L. BEANE Poultry Science Department, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061 (Received for publication October 11, 1967)
During the conduct of a more involved study on pesticide residues in poultry, the occasion was presented to observe the total depletion time of heptachlor in egg yolk from hens fed low levels of the pesticide in the feed. The results are shown in Figure 1. Levels of 0.1, O.S, and 1.0 p.p.m. of heptachlor were blended into a standard laying ration previously determined to be free of 1 This investigation was conducted as part of the Southern Regional Research Project S-22 (Pesticide Residues of Plant and Animal Products and Soil). 2 Department of Biochemistry and Nutrition, Virginia Polytechnic Institute.
any chlorinated hydrocarbons and the diets fed ad libitum to Leghorn-type hens for a period of seven weeks. The hens, ten per treatment group, were in peak production and were housed in individual cages. The yolks from all eggs laid the seventh day of each week were pooled by treatment groups and analyzed for heptachlor and heptachlor epoxide by the gas chromatographic, electron-capture method described by Stemp et al. (1964). No measurable amounts of heptachlor per se were detected. The hens were continued on the standard ration following the withdrawal of the heptachlor additive until no heptachlor expoxide was detected in the yolks.
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Florida Atlantic University on June 8, 2016
Boron Copper Iron Magnesium Phosphorus Potassium Sodium Zinc
Bronze