Effect of dietary crude protein concentration on semen yield and quality in male broiler breeder fowls

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Abstract
1. The responses in semen volume and spermatozoal concentration of 48 caged male broiler breeder fowls fed on a restricted quantity of food containing 80, 110, 152, 210, 290 or 400 g crude protein (CP)/kg from 18 to 64 weeks of age were studied. 2. The proportion of males producing semen declined with increasing dietary crude protein content and resulted in a significant decrease in total semen volume and spermatozoa production. 3. The relationship between the concentration of spermatozoa in the semen and dietary crude protein was negative but trivial. There were no relationships between dietary crude protein content and semen volume or the metabolic activity of spermatozoa. 4. The metabolic activity of spermatozoa was lower at 25 compared with 37 weeks of age. 5. The proportion of males giving semen peaked between 32 and 42 weeks of age. The relationship between age and semen volume and concentration of spermatozoa was negative and linear. 6. Blood plasma uric acid concentration increased linearly above 106 g CP/kg and males on 400 g CP/kg developed articular gout and had to be destroyed.