The influence of staining techniques and examiners on evaluation of the morphology of fowl spermatozoa.

A total of 53 dwarf Single Comb White Leghorn males from the relaxed selection mating of low and high body weight lines and a randombred control line were used to determine the influence of technique (eosin-nigrosin smears or collection of spermatozoa on membrane filters) and examiner on the assessment of sperm morphology. There were significant (P less than .05) line, technique, examiner, and technique X examiner interactions for sperm abnormalities. Total abnormal spermatozoa were higher in the high line than in the other two lines, and this was associated with increased midpiece defects and twisted spermatozoa. Eosin-nigrosin smears showed almost twice the percentage of abnormal spermatozoa compared to stained membrane filters.