College of Food, Ag & Nat Res Sci
Twin Cities
Turkey hens have the capacity to store sperm for several weeks in small structures in their reproductive tract called sperm storage tubules (SSTs). Artificial insemination is used to achieve egg fertility. After each insemination, turkeys can lay fertile eggs for as long as 15 weeks. However, studies have shown that as they age, their ability to store sperm declines, leading to lower fertility. Increasing the frequency of insemination and number of sperm inseminated produce minimal improvements in fertility. There is evidence that changes in the immune profile of the reproductive tract may be responsible for the decline in fertility in hens, but the molecular changes that allow for this and/or that are affected by these changes are not known. Further, there may be other factors that play a role in decreased fertility in hens that compound with inflammation. It is important to look at changes in gene expression as a first step to investigate these factors. The objective of this study is to determine effect of the first insemination on the gene expression of the vagina and the uterovaginal junction of turkey hens.