EFFECT OF TYLOSIN ON TURKEY SPERMATOZOA MOTILITY

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of tylosin tartrate on selected turkey spermatozoa motility parameters during short-term in vitro incubation at 41 degrees C. Semen samples were collected from turkeys of the line Big 6 and diluted with four concentrations of tylosin: TYL1 - 5 mg.ml(-1); TYL2 - 2.5 mg.ml(-1); TYL3 - 1.25 mg.ml(-1) and TYL4 - 0.625 mg.ml(-1) diluted in the physiological solution. The motility parameters were evaluated using the Computer Assisted Semen Analyzer system (Sperm Vision (R)) at five time periods: 0, 30, 60, 90 and 120 minutes. The results show that the spermatozoa motility increased in groups TYL1, TYL2, TYL3 after 30 minutes and for TYL4 after 60 minutes of culture. Progressive spermatozoa motility increased after 30, 60, 90, 120 minutes. Negative effect on selected motility parameters was detected only at the beginning of in vitro cultivation. Similar tendency was observed also in the others CASA motility parameters (VCL, ALH, and BCF). The results indicate that tylosin could be used to semen extenders without negative effects on turkey spermatozoa motility.