10/17/23

POULTRY
SCIENCE:
Reproductive Physiology
& Egg Development

Unit 6

Poultry Science:
Reproductive Physiology &
Egg Development

Unit 6: Segment 1
Male Reproductive System

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Avian Male
Reproductive System

– Paired testes
– Poorly developed
epididymis
– Vas deferens
– Rudimentary phallus

Hormone Regulation
1. Photoperiodic Control
– Perceives changes in day length
– Stimulates HPG axis
2. Gonadal Changes
– Growth and regression
3. Secondary Sex Characteristics
– Comb and wattle growth and coloration change
4. Feather Changes
– Grow long hackles, sickle, and saddle feathers

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Testes
– Testes (pair) are located on the back wall
just above the kidney within the
abdomen.
– Constitutes 1% of body mass in most
birds.
– 2-3% in Quail
– Left testis is usually larger than the right,
reason being is unknown but testicular
size is related to male competition.

Structure of a Testis
– Birds have a poorly developed epididymis
– In mammals, the epididymis acts as a sperm
storage area (up to 60 days), absorbs fluid, sperm
mature (swim)
– Site of sperm production
– Made up of many clusters of tubes or
seminiferous tubules

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Testis: Seminiferous Tubule

Leydig Cells

• Responsible for testicular androgen production

Hypothalamus -
GnRH (Gonadotrophin
Releasing Hormone)

- Anterior Pituitary -
FSH LH

Sertoli Leydig
Inhibin Cells Cells

Regulates Sperm
Testosterone
production
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Spermatogenesis

Spermatogenesis – maturation to functional sperm

– Spermatozoa produced in seminiferous tubules

– Effected by temperature
– Bird sperm is more tolerant of high temperatures
– Time to maturation:
– 13 days in birds
– 34-75 days in mammals
– Little sperm storage in birds and seasonal breeding

Spermiogenesis

Morphological changes
– Spermatid to
spermatozoa
– Formation of the
acrosome cap and tail

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Transport of Semen

Vas Deferens
– Wavy ducts that run along urinary duct
– Transports sperm to cloaca for ejaculation
– Duration of 20-30 days non-sexually active
– Only 1-3 days in sexually active males

– Enlarged near the cloaca

– Stores a small amount of semen
– Mammals: sperm storage in testis and epididymis for duration of 60 days

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Avian Phallus
Rudimentary Penis
– Absence of a true intromittent penis in the chicken,
turkey, and quail (no penis)
– When mating becomes enlarged with lymph fluid being
added to sperm (semen)
– Chickens, turkeys, pheasant, and quail have a V-shaped
phallus
– Waterfowl and ratites have a more well-developed
corkscrew-shaped phallus

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Mating
Since the rooster has a
rudimentary penis, he must
have close cloacal contact with
the hen for semen to be
passed to her (insemination).

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Summary of Differences:
Birds Mammals
– No accessory glands – Accessory glands
– Highly concentrated semen – Low concentrated semen
– Small ejaculate volume – Large ejaculate volume
– Internal testis – External testis
– Large testes to weight ratio – Low testes to weight ration
– Little semen storage – Semen stored in testis and
– No capacitation epididymis
– Capacitation required

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Poultry Science:
Reproductive Physiology &
Egg Development

Unit 6: Segment 2
Female Reproductive System

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Avian Female
Reproductive System

– Left Ovary
– Left Oviduct
OVIDUCT – Single Egg (Ovum) is produced every
day
– Follicle does not form a corpus luteum
after ovulation
– Sperm storage tubules

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Oviduct of a
Laying Hen
Infundibulum – site of fertilization
Magnum – secretion of egg albumen
Isthmus – secretion of inner and outer
shell membranes
Shell Gland – shell formation
Utero-Vaginal Junction – location of
sperm host glands for sperm storage
Vagina – passageway to cloaca and site
of sperm selection

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Ovarian Development
– First 14-15 weeks of life there is not much happening in the female
reproductive system.
– Around 15 weeks, the hypothalamic/pituitary axis matures, allowing
for:
– Photostimulation (long day length) is the message to start egg
production
– Secondary sexual characteristics
– Ovary and oviduct growth and development
– Female must be at an appropriate body weight to respond to
Photostimulation (proper nutrient intake)

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Hormonal Control
Photoperiodic Control
– Perceives changes in day length
– Stimulates HPG axis (“Photostimulation”)
Gonadal Changes
– Growth and regression
– Ovary
– Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) – gets the follicles going by stimulating Theca cells of the small
follicles to produce estrogen
– Luteinizing Hormone (LH) – stimulates granulosa cells to produce progesterone
– Oviduct
Secondary Sexual Characteristics
– Comb color and size

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Follicular
Development

– Begins with small, white follicle

– These grow to become small,
yellow follicles
– Next, the SYF are selected to
become large yellow follicles for
hierarchical follicles
– F1 will ovulate around 24 hours, and F2
in 48 hours

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Follicular
Development
– Ovarian follicles develop
and mature -> graduated
sizes, with various sizes
having different functions
– Theca cells of small, white,
immature follicles produce
estrogen and androgens
– Granulosa cells produce
progesterone

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Oviduct Function
– Capture ovulated ovum
– Site of fertilization
– Transport and expulsion of ovum
– Sperm storage
– Site of early embryo development
– Secretion of albumen, fluids, shell membranes, shell, and shell pigments

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Internal Layer

The infundibulum doesn’t always pick up

the follicle…
– When this happens, the follicle drops into
the abdomen and the body tries to
reabsorb it, but this can lead to abdominal
infections.

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Requirements for Successful

Natural Fertilization
It is suggested that only one of the following conditions be
met to ensure successful fertilization:
1. Long fertilizable life span for ova and/or sperm
2. Accurate synchronization between copulation and ovulation
3. Copulations must occur frequently to ensure viable sperm at
the time of ovulation

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Requirements for Successful

Fertilization
– Synchronization between ovulation and oviposition -> ovulation of
the next follicle occurs approximately 30 minutes (15-75 min.
range) after oviposition.
– Sperm released from U.V.J. would have 20-30 minutes to traverse
an empty oviduct and fertilize the next ovum to be ovulated.

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Requirements for Successful

Fertilization: Domestic Chickens
Long fertilizable life span of ovum: 15-30 Minutes

Long retention of fertilizing capacity by sperm: 10-14 Days

Synchronization between copulation and ovulation: None. No typical Estrus Cycle as in

humans.

Ovulation induced by copulation: None.

Capacitation: None. Mammal sperm must incubate 3 hours before it an fertilize the
egg.

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Poultry Science:
Reproductive Physiology &
Egg Development

Unit 6: Segment 3
Egg Development

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Egg Formation

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Egg
Formation

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Egg Structure
– Shell
– Shell Membranes
– Thin Albumen
– Thick Albumen
– Yolk
– Germinal Disc
– Chalaza

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Egg Laying
– Hens lay clutches (number of eggs laid in a row) of eggs
followed by a pause or “skip day”, and may be one of two
situations:
– Once a pattern has been established, birds will stick to it,
especially chickens.
– With chickens, if you take their eggs away every day, they
will have a continuation of lay period with an occasional
skip day.
– If you do not remove the eggs daily, the hen will become
broody and discontinue laying.

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Egg-cellent Facts
– An egg contains approximately 10,000 pores that allow for
the diffusion of gases through the pores.
– In order to minimize water loss from eggs during storage
for both table and hatching eggs, it is important to store
them at 75-85% humidity.
– In Grade-AA eggs, the air cell may not exceed 1/8” in depth
and is about the size of a dime.
– Grade-A eggs may have air cells over 3/16” in depth, but
there is no limit on air cell size for Grade-B eggs.

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Poultry Science
Curriculum References
– Jessica Fife, UGA Dept. of Poultry – University of Arkansas Bumpers College – Tom Tabler, Mississippi State University
Science Outreach Coordinator, UGA of Poultry Science – Poultry Science Department of Poultry Science
Dept. of Agricultural Leadership, Dual Curriculum Course Extension Professor
Education, & Communication MAEE
Candidate – Julia Gaskin, UGA Dept. of Crop and Soil – Jacquie Jacob, University of Kentucky
Sciences Sr. Public Service Associate
– Barry Croom, UGA Dept. of Agricultural – Jeanna Wilson, UGA Dept. of Poultry
Leadership, Education, & – Glendon Harris, UGA Dept. of Crop and Science Professor
Communication Professor Soil Sciences Professor & Extension
Agronomist – Kelly Sweeney, UGA Dept. of Poultry
– Ashley Yopp, UGA Dept. of Agricultural Science Ph.D Candidate
Leadership, Education, & – Brian Kiepper, UGA Dept. of Poultry
Science Associate Professor – Merck Veterinary Manual
Communication Assistant Professor
– Claudia Dunkley, UGA Dept. of Poultry – University of Maryland Extension
– Georgia Agriculture Education
Science Public Service Associate – Poultry Hub
– Andrew Benson, UGA Dept. of Poultry
Science Assistant Professor – Casey Ritz, UGA Dept. of Poultry – Brian Fairchild, University of Georgia
Science Professor Department of Poultry Science
– Brian Jordan, UGA Dept. of Poultry Professor
Science Assistant Professor, UGA – USPOULTRY & USPOULTRY Poultry
College of Veterinary Medicine Science Curriculum – Centers for Disease Control
Assistant Professor – National FFA Organization

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