Comparative evaluation of reproductive performance of artificially inseminated and naturally mated Nigeria indigenous hens treated with clomiphene citrate

Abstract

The research was conducted for 90 days using 96 and 16 Nigeria indigenous hens and cocks respectively sexually matured (24 and 26 weeks old) to comparatively evaluate the effect of clomiphene citrate on the reproductive performance of Nigerian indigenous birds. The birds were divided into 2 groups of 48 hens per group respectively as group A and group B. Group A were artificially inseminated while group B birds were naturally mated. Each group was divided into 4 treatment groups of 12 hens per treatment. Clomiphene citrate was administered at 0mg (control), 10mg, 20mg and 30mg levels to the treatment groups represented as T_1AI T_2AI T_3AI and T_4AI and T_1NM , T_2NU , T_3NN and T_4NM for artificially inseminated ,  and Naturally mated hens respectively and T _1C T _2C T _3C and T_4C for the cocks. The birds were fed  adlibitum with breeder's mash for hens and growers mash for cock while water was served regularly. Seven days after clomiphene citrate was administered. Birds for natural mating were paired with their respective cocks according to their treatment groups, while those for artificial insemination were inseminated using cocks in the same   treatment group. The ration was 2:12. The result of this study indicated higher productivity in artificially inseminated hens between (50-76 eggs) than naturally mated hens which produce between 42-63 eggs within this period. Artificial insemination also showed higher fertility of (62 to 85.25%) than the naturally mated that recorded between 34.88% to 78.5% fertility but the naturally mated recorded hatchability of between 53.35% and 90.90% while artificially inseminated hens recorded between 46.15% and 90.32%. Artificial inseminated birds recorded between 3.7% and 33.85% and 3.57% and 20.15% dead in germ and dead in shell respectively, while naturally mated hens recorded between 3.78% and 19.21%, and 2.01% and 15.79% in dead in germ and dead in shell respectively. The result of this study shows that artificial inseminated birds treated with clomiphene citrate encourages egg production and fertility.

Keywords: Insemination, natural mating, hatchability, fertility