Development of artificial insemination technology in Japanese quail

An Attempt was made to develop a suitable artificial insemination (AI) technology in Japanese quail. A diluent for quail semen comprised of sodium chloride (NaCl) 0.9g, sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO₃) 0.1g, potassium chloride (KCl) 0.02g, calcium chloride (CaCl₂) 0.02g, magnesium chloride (MgCl₂) 0.01g and Fructose 0.087g per 100 ml of distilled water with pH and osmolarity 7.3 and 412 mOsmol/kg H₂O respectively was prepared. The specific feature of the diluent was that it could completely disperse the freshly ejaculated agglutinated semen and expressed very good semen quality and fertility. Under this study, various dilution rates (1:2, 1:3, 1:4) of quail semen were scrutinized in which 1:2 was found suitable and employed through out the study. Between the two storage temperature of semen (25°C vs 4°C), room temperature (25°C) exhibited good characteristics of semen. In another study when semen was stored at room temperature for different durations i.e. 0, 30, 60 min, it was found that freshly ejaculated semen (0 min) showed good sperm motility and highest fertility. Fertility was obtained higher (P≤ 0.05) when semen was inseminated in the oviduct at 1cm depth at 2pm in CARI Uttam line of Japanese quail. Therefore, a suitable diluent is essentially required for the maintenance of best semen quality in-vitro and successful artificial insemination in Japanese quail.