Action 8 – Genetic material and germplasm collection from Italian chicken and turkey breeds
The aim is to increase the consistency of the Italian Semen Cryobank of Autochthonous Poultry Breeds. Semen doses from 14 chicken breeds and 4 turkey breeds will be stored along the entire duration of the project according to an annual schedule. Male donors will be selected within nucleus populations reared by the Partners and procedures developed in the previous TuBAvI project for bird handling and semen processing (SOP) will be implemented (UniMi and UniMOL).
The table displays current consistency of the Cryobank.
To see the results from the first TuBAvI project, click here.
Activities performed during the first TuBAvI project were focused on the planning and the creation of the Italian Semen Criobank of Autochthonous Poultry Breeds dedicated to Gallus gallus and Meleagris gallopavo species.
A species-specific reference protocol for the cryopreservation of chicken and turkey semen was identified and the Standard Operative Procedures (SOPs) for the creation of the Cryobank were developed. Preparation of semen doses started after a careful priority evaluation of the Italian poultry breeds for ex situ in vitro conservation.
Qualitative parameters of chicken and turkey semens are reported in Table 1 (fresh semen) and Table 2 (frozen/thawed semen). The consistency of the Cryobank is reported in Table 3.
