Collecting the Eggs and Sperm |
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| Above left, a farmer strips a female brood stock salmon of eggs by massaging the adominal area. Above right, a farmer is collecting the milt (sperm) from a male brood stock salmon. The eggs are then checked under a microscope for the presence of blood. If blood is present, the egg(s) are discarded. The milt, too, is checked for activity. Only the milt with fast activity is used. The milt of six males is used to fertilize the eggs of three females. The milt and eggs are then put together in a container and gently stirred for a period of two to four minutes. A little water is then added to activate the sperm and a period of one minute is allowed for the sperm to penetrate the eggs. The sperm die after only ninety seconds. The eggs are then washed in clean, untreated water three or four times to clean the eggs and then disinfected with a chemical called ovadine. The eggs are then placed in fresh water for two hours to allow the egg outer surface to harden. | |
