AI or RSS? WARNING: Sensitive

[CluckyCharms]

WARNING: Completely valid reproduction inquiry, but may be offensive to some.

Hello,

I was wondering if there were breeders of specific breeds that offer Rooster semen? I know it is done in the canine world on a frequent basis, when you're wanting the best of the best and are unable to travel across the nation for that AKC GCH, etc. (I have done this myself, so this much I know). I was wondering if this form of AI was done in the "chicken world" as well...or if there is such a thing as a Rooster Stud Service, etc? I googled and came up with nothing, so my best guess is that it doesn't exist (or exists but is a very uncommon practice).

I realize there would be the albeit obvious concerns of sickness, illness, etc in the Rooster (that much is something everyone would take into consideration, so not necessary to discuss). However, I just thought maybe there would be the slim chance of some sort of 'association' geared toward this endeavor whereas the roosters would have required testing for genetic defects and such.

No? Yes? Maybe?

 

[UrbanviewFarm]

AI is commonly practiced on turkeys, dont know about chickens. ??

 

[CluckyCharms]

Thank you for at least replying!

Thus far (since my post) I've found only one thing:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20371849

Apparently the cryosurvival rate is quite low.

That's about all I could find...but does explain (sort of) why it's not commonplace in chickens. I found a lot of info on turkeys however, and it seems the cryosurvivability of a turkey's "swimmers" is much higher - and like you said it is quite common. Curiosity on my part begs the question as to why it is not so for chickens. But...I didn't go into that field of study so I'll just

lol!

Thanks again for your reply!

 

[centrarchid]

It is done with turkeys in part because required with commercial meat producing strains that are so strongly selected for meat production that males have lost mobility required to successfully copulate. Another reason for AI is males expensive to maintain but produce enough to fertilize many more hens than they could cover even if not physically unable to do job naturally. Mating is hard work even for male and his spoo can be diluted to go farther.