Effect of Dietary Antioxidant Supplementation on the Fertility Parameters of Turkeys

Twenty four turkey toms, selected at 32 weeks of age were randomized into four treatment groups (TI, T2, T3 and T4). T1 received basal male breeder turkey diet containing 2,700 k.cal ME per kg of diet and 16 % CP without supplemented Vit-E, T2 received basal diet supplemented with 300 IU Vit-E/kg diet, T3 received basal diet supplemented with 0.3 mg of inorganic Selenium/kg diet and T4 received basal diet supplemented with 150 IU Vit-E and 0.15mg Selenium /kg diet. Hens were fed with standard female turkey breeder diet containing 2,900 k.cal ME per kg of diet and 16 % CP. Pooled semen samples were collected from each treatment group was diluted with BPSE diluent at 1:4 ratio and were artificially inseminated into the hens of respective groups with a dose 0.2 ml of diluted semen per hen. Hatching eggs were collected, incubated and fertility parameters were recorded. All the three anti-oxidant supplemented groups shown a significant (P≤0.01) improvement in the total fertility and total hatchability percentage of turkey eggs with the combination group giving the better fertility and total hatchability percentages comparing to the Vit-E supplemented group or Selenium supplemented group. Fertile hatchability percentage and late embryonic mortality percentage did not shown (P>0.05) any significant effect due to dietary addition of anti-oxidants. The study thus revealed better reproductive performance with the antioxidant supplemented group which can be implemented in commercial turkey breeding programmes for better reproductive performance.