Energy Intake and Fertility of Male Chickens

Abstract

To determine the effect of restricting the caloric intake of male chickens, 3 groups of 8 adult White Leghorn males were fed 90 g of feed/bird/day containing 2553, 2068 and 1584 kcal of ME/kg for 13 weeks. Volume and fertilizing capacity of semen, as well as body and testis weights were markedly reduced in the 2 groups of males fed the diets with lower calorie levels. There was no difference in the hatchability of eggs fertilized by semen from the 3 groups of males. The data indicated that energy restriction resulting in body weight loss of from 11 to 16% was associated with reduced semen volumes and that the males became completely infertile when their weight loss was 30%. The diet containing 2553 kcal of ME/kg and providing 230 kcal/bird/day approached the minimum necessary for normal body-weight maintenance.