Extended and cryopreserved semen of Banaba native chicken with sugarcane extract for artificial insemination

The experiment was conducted to test the efficacy of sugarcane extract extender (40% SE+30% dH2O (distilled water) + 30% EY-C (Egg-yolk citrate)) developed in our laboratory and semen cryopreserved with SE extender with 3% glycerol (SEG) as a cost-effective alternative in an in vivo fertility trial using a practical farm approach. The lactated ringers’ solution (LRS) served as a control. The cryopreserved semen was thawed at room temperature (25-27°C) for 15-20 min for the artificial insemination. Thirty-six (36) 7.5 month old Dekalb White hens with an average weight of 1.65 kg were divided into three groups of 12 hens per group and housed individually in a completely randomized design (CRD). The groups: 1, 2 and 3 were artificially inseminated with LRS extended semen, SE extended semen and SEG cryopreserved semen respectively. A total of 284 eggs were collected and incubated, consisting of 95 (group 1), 89 (group 2) and 100 (group 3). The results showed that, fertility rates of LRS extended semen (60.04 ± 1.83%) and SE extended semen (56.94±2.62%) were significantly (p≤0.05) higher than the cryopreserved semen (25.56±3.22%). However, hatchability rates were statistically similar at 5% among the treatment means for the LRS (51.26±4.15%), SE (62.02±6.34%) and SEG (49.31±2.86%). The findings of this experiment suggest that sugarcane extract with 3% glycerol successfully produced fertile eggs and viable chicks. The extender showed no adverse effects on fertility or hatchability, indicating its potential as a promising medium for avian semen cryopreservation. The SE and SEG can be used for poultry propagation, breeding and conservation.