Relationships among stallion fertility and semen traits using estimated breeding values of German Warmblood stallions

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• 作者：Maren Gottschalk^a ; Harald Sieme^b ; Gunilla Martinsson^c ; Ottmar Distl^a ; ^{ottmar.distl@tiho-hannover.de}
• 关键词：Horse ; Stallion ; Semen ; Correlation ; Estimated breeding value ; Fertility
• 刊名：Theriogenology
• 出版年：2017
• 出版时间：February 2017
• 年：2017
• 卷：89
• 期：Complete
• 页码：68-71
• 全文大小：199 K
• 卷排序：89

文摘

A high quality of stallion semen is of particular importance for maximum reproductive efficiency. In the present study, we estimated the relationships among estimated breeding values (EBVs) of semen traits and EBVs for the paternal component of the pregnancy rate per estrus cycle (EBV-PAT) for 100 German Warmblood stallions using correlation and general linear model analyses. The most highly correlated sperm quality trait was total number of progressively motile sperm (r = 0.36). EBV-PAT was considered in three classes with stallions 1 SD below (<80), around (80–120), and above (>120) the population mean of 100. The general linear model analysis showed significant effects for EBVs of all semen traits. EBVs of sperm quality traits greater than 100 to 110 were indicative for EBV-PAT greater than 120. Recommendations for breeding soundness examinations on the basis of the assessments of sperm quality traits and estimation of breeding values seem to be an option to support breeders to improve stallion fertility in the present and future stallion generation.