Investigating the Effects of Dietary Energy and Protein on the semen Characteristics and Egg Quality of Turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) in Bali, Taraba State, Nigeria

A study was undertaken to evaluate the semen characteristics and egg quality of three strains of indigenous Nigerian turkeys fed different levels of nutritional energy and protein at the Teaching and Research farm of the Federal Polytechnic Bali, Taraba State. The experiment included a total of 120 day-old poults from all of the indigenous turkey strains. Poults were brooded on commercial diet for 8 weeks during the 11-month study (July 2018–August 2019). The birds were randomly assigned to four treatment dietary levels for growers at the age of 64 days; T1-control (Commercial feeds), T2-low energy high protein(LEHP), T3-high energy low protein(HELP), and T4-high energy high protein (HEHP). Eggs were laid from T1 of all three strains of turkey at the age of 196 days. Eggs were collected in batches after every 8 days for 5 sets only. At day 7 of laying, eggs were candled for fertility and hatchability. Among the strains and treatments, egg quality, semen characteristics, and testicular morphology were all taken into account. The egg quality egg quality studied showed Signiant(P<0.05) differences among the treatment groups. The results on the gonadal sperm reserves (trestles), extra gonadal sperm reserve (epididymis) and vas deferens showed significant (P<0.05) differences among the treatment groups except for treatments T1, T3, and T4. Finally, the varying dietary levels on different strains of indigenous turkeys used in this study, account for differences in growth rate, egg production and reproductive parameters. The preliminary findings presented in this work are only the beginning; additional in-depth research is needed in this area.