Collection and Characterization of Rooster Semen from the Local and Rainbow Breeds in Burkina Faso
Bayili Piayiboury Marie Theodore *
Laboratoire de Reproduction et d'Amélioration Génétique des Ruminants Domestiques, Département de Production Animale, Faculté d’Agronomie, Université ABDOU MOUMOUNI, Niamey, BP 10896, Niger.
Traore Boureima
Centre Universitaire de Dori, Université Thomas SANKARA, Ouagadougou 12 BP 417, Burkina Faso.
Ouattara Seydou
Centre Universitaire de Dori, Université Thomas SANKARA, Ouagadougou 12 BP 417, Burkina Faso.
Konate Drissa
Centre Universitaire de Tenkodogo, Université Thomas SANKARA, Ouagadougou 12 BP 417, Burkina Faso.
Diallo Boureima
Centre Universitaire de Tenkodogo, Université Thomas SANKARA, Ouagadougou 12 BP 417, Burkina Faso.
Nare Karim Bosco
Centre Universitaire de Tenkodogo, Université Thomas SANKARA, Ouagadougou 12 BP 417, Burkina Faso.
Soudre Albert
Laboratoire de Physiologie Animale, Unité de Formation et de Recherche en Sciences de la Vie et de la Terre (UFR/SVT), Université Joseph KI-ZERBO, Ouagadougou 03 BP 7021, Burkina Faso.
Moumouni Issa
Unité de Formation et de Recherches Sciences et Technologie, Université Norbert ZONGO, Koudougou BP376, Burkina Faso.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
This study evaluated the macroscopic and microscopic semen characteristics of Local and Rainbow breed roosters in Burkina Faso under controlled management conditions. Six roosters, comprising three Local and three Rainbow birds, were used, and 60 ejaculates were collected using the dorso-lumbar massage technique. The parameters assessed included ejaculate volume, pH, motility, sperm concentration, vitality, and morphological characteristics. Semen was collected twice weekly, and samples were analysed using standard laboratory procedures, including haemocytometer counting and eosin-nigrosin staining.
The results indicated variability in semen quality parameters within and between breeds. Ejaculate volume ranged from 0.29 to 0.67 mL, while sperm motility scores varied from 2.5 to 3.5. Sperm concentration ranged from 1.9 × 10^9 to 2.5 × 10^9 sperm per millilitre. Vitality rates exceeded 60% in both breeds, with no significant inter-breed differences observed for most physicochemical parameters, including pH values, which remained slightly alkaline.
Correlation analysis showed positive associations between semen quality parameters and morphological traits such as body weight, comb size, and tibia length. Larger and heavier roosters tended to have higher semen volume and sperm output. However, the age difference between breeds may have influenced some of the observed variations.
Overall, both Local and Rainbow roosters showed semen quality parameters compatible with artificial insemination requirements under the study conditions. These findings provide baseline data for rooster selection strategies aimed at improving reproductive efficiency in poultry production systems in Burkina Faso.
Keywords: Rooster semen, artificial insemination, Rainbow breed, Local breed, sperm motility, sperm concentration, sperm viability, semen morphology, morphological traits, Burkina Faso.