Relationships between number of sperm inseminated, number of eggs laid and fertility in turkeys.

Three trials were conducted in which a series of different quantities of semen was used for inseminations. Relationships between total number of sperm inseminated (TNS) and fertility and number of viable sperm inseminated (NOV) and fertility were examined. Interrelationships between numbers of sperm inseminated, number of eggs laid, and fertility were also examined. It was found that TNS and NOV were significantly correlated (P less than .05) with fertility. When the number of eggs laid was considered (sperm to egg ratios), correlations were highly significant (P less than .01). Multiple correlation using number of sperm inseminated and number of eggs laid as the independent variables showed that TNS and the number of eggs laid were significantly correlated (P less than .05) with fertility. When the number of sperm inseminated was corrected so that only live, normal, and motile sperm were considered, the correlation became highly significant (P less than .01). It was concluded that the number of sperm required for optimum fertility was dependent on the number of eggs laid.