Cloacal gland foam increases sperm transport in oviduct in Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica)

Adult male Japanese quail has a well developed cloacal gland which produces meringue like foam. The role of the foam in the reproductive strategy of quail species is not yet understood completely, although it has long been thought to enhance the process of reproduction. Therefore, we conducted an experiment was conducted to establish the functional role of the cloacal gland foam in oviductal sperm transport. Thirty healthy male Japanese quail were allocated equally into three groups. The cloacal gland was surgically removed from the birds of group 1. Birds from group 2 were sham operated while group 3 served as control. After wound healing, the birds from all the groups were allowed to mate with fertile females in a 1:1 ratio, once in a week and eggs were collected individually to examine fertility, duration of fertility and sperm holes on inner perivitelline layer. A low fertility (P<0.05) and the duration of fertility period was observed in group 1 as compare to group 2 and 3. Further, the sperm holes in perivitelline membrane were also found low (P<0.05) in group 1. The results indicated that cloacal foam improved sperm transport in the female oviduct.