The Effect of Human Menopausal Gonadotropin Administration on Follicle Recruitment Waterfowls During Non-Breeding Season

Objective: It has been seen that wild waterfowls stop breeding during captivity. In the long-term, this may put their species in danger and there would be a need to find a way for artificial reproduction. In this study, a common medication for human controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) was tested on wild waterfowls to answer the question of whether this application can cause ovarian follicular recruitment and does it help the fowl ovulate and lay eggs. Materials and Methods: The animal experimental model was the adult female Mallard. The timing of research was scheduled for mid-July through mid-August which counts as out-ofseason for Mallard breeding. 75 IU/bird/day was injected IM for 10 days. After completion of injections, the ovarian tissues were retrieved and considered for morphological and histological assessments. Results: The results show a positive effect for human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG) on most of the evaluated parameters. In the experimental group; ovarian size, number of differentiating oocytes (vitellogenic and post-vitellogenic) and theca layer diameter were significantly more than the control group (p<0.05). Differences in the other parameters (the number of undifferentiated and pre-vitellogenic oocytes, nucleus and arteriole diameter) compared between control and experimental groups were not statistically significant. Conclusion: It seems that hMG has a positive and meaningful effect on ovarian follicular recruitment and its administration will be an effective method for ovulation induction in female Mallards. This may especially be combined with artificial insemination to help the laying eggs become fertilized.