Effects on fertility and hatch of eggs laid by hens inseminated with sperm
exposed to a synthetic peptide were studied. Pooled semen from 40 randomly
selected toms was split and held in vitro for 0 or 24 h before use. Just be
fore insemination, sperm (at 8.33 x 10(9) sperm/mL) were exposed for 5 min
to 0.0, 0.05, 0.25, or 0.50 mu M peptide. Hens (28 per group) were insemina
ted within less than 30 min with 250 x 10(6) in 30 mu L. Two inseminations
24 h before onset of lay were followed by weekly inseminations through 22 o
r 20 wk. For sperm that was fresh or held 24 h, peptide treatment (P < 0.02
or 0.01) and week of lay (P < 0.01) affected fertility and hatch of total
eggs set. There was no effect of peptide treatment on hatchability of ferti
le eggs. For fresh sperm, use of 0.25 mu M peptide, but not 0.05 or 5.0 mu
M peptide, increased (P < 0.05) fertility and hatch of total eggs set compa
red with the control (0 mu M). Values for fertility were 94 vs. 90% and for
hatch were 84 vs. 80%. Increases in hatch were especially evident for fres
h sperm after approximately 13 wk of lay.