FILTERING AND THE VIABILITY OF TURKEY SPERMATOZOA

The efficacy of turkey semen filtration was tested in six trials utili zing 63, 90, or 180 mu m (M2, M3, CF) filters. Nonfiltered semen was c ompared to filtered semen using the modified ethidium bromide test for fresh and 24-hr stored semen in control buffer (100%) and stress buff er (20%) for all six trials. In the first four trials, filtered semen sometimes has higher sperm viability (P < .05) than nonfiltered semen. The response varied within and between trials with respect to filter, storage, and stress. In the other two trials, filtered semen showed h igher (P < .05) sperm viability than nonfiltered semen when the semen was stored for 24 hr and stressed with the 20% buffer. Filtration may be appropriate for semen collected under problematic circumstances and semen that will be stored and/or may be stressed.