Addition to semen of a fluid derived from the cloacal region by male turkeys.

This study was performed to clarify whether the semen from the vas deferens (receptacle) is diluted with a fluid at the moment of ejaculation in the male turkey. Semen from the receptacle and vas deferens, ejaculated semen, and the fluid ejected from the cloacal region were obtained and their characteristics were examined. The mean concentration of ejaculated semen was 7.43 X 10(6)/mm3 and that of the receptacle semen was 9.41 X 10(6)/mm3; the former has a positive aldose color reaction in contrast to a completely negative reaction in the latter, suggesting that the receptacle semen might be diluted with fluid containing aldose at ejaculation. The aldose-positive fluid was found to be produced in the cloacal region and could also be collected from vasectomized male turkeys. Thus, ejaculated turkey semen is considered to be a mixture of semen emitted from the receptacle and fluid ejected from cloacal region. The pH value, glucose content, relative viscosity, and electrophoretic mobility of protein of the ejecting fluid were similar to that of blood plasma, suggesting that the fluid might be originating from blood plasma.