The Effect of Photoperiodicity on Semen Characteristics of Poultry

Abstract INTRODUCTION THE poultry breeder today has a considerable amount of information available on the effect of photoperiodicity on the egg production of hens. However, the data available on the effect of light on the reproductive function of the male fowl is very limited. The present experiment was, therefore, undertaken to investigate the effect of natural light and darkness; sixteen hour controlled illumination and eight hour darkness; and eight hour controlled illumination and sixteen hour darkness on the semen characteristics of Rhode Island Red (R.I.R.) cocks. EXPERIMENTAL Eighteen, year-old, Rhode Island Red (R.I.R.) cocks were kept in individual cages in a well-ventilated room having plenty of diffused daylight but no direct exposure to sunlight. After allowing four weeks of acclimatization in approximately twelve hours of natural daylight followed by twelve hours of darkness, the birds were divided into three comparable groups of six each. Each group of birds along with their…