Artificial insemination in white leghorn hens and its effects upon egg production, health and fertility

Abstract

The influence of artificial insemination on hen health and egg production and fertility was studied in 156 ten-month-old white Leghorn hens maintained in wire cages. Treatments compared were: Group A - biweekly inseminations; Group B - weekly inseminations; Group C – non-inseminated control. Each hen in groups A and B was inseminated with fresh, undiluted semen at a rate of 0.05 ml per insemination. Each treatment was composed of 26 replications (a replication being a cage of two hens) distributed in a completely randomized design. Mean egg production per cage per two week interval was: Group A - 19.35 (69.10%); Group B - 20.10 (70.17%); Group C - 18.96 (67.71%). The difference between Groups B and C was significant (P<0.05). No significant differences in mortality or incidence of cloacal infection were observed. There was a highly significant difference (P<0.01) in egg fertility between Group A (95.8%) and Group B (92.1%). These results indicate that artificial insemination does not have a detrimental effect on egg production or health of the hen.