Genetic parameters and parental and early-life effects of boar semen traits
Abstract Background The objectives of this study were to estimate genetic parameters and studying the influence of early-life and parental factors on the semen traits of boars. The dataset included measurements on 449,966 ejaculates evaluated using a Computer-Assisted Sperm Analysis (CASA) system fr...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | deu |
| Published: |
BMC
2025-02-01
|
| Series: | Genetics Selection Evolution |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12711-025-00954-6 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1823863587167272960 |
|---|---|
| author | Pedro Sá Rodrigo M. Godinho Marta Gòdia Claudia A. Sevillano Barbara Harlizius Ole Madsen Henk Bovenhuis |
| author_facet | Pedro Sá Rodrigo M. Godinho Marta Gòdia Claudia A. Sevillano Barbara Harlizius Ole Madsen Henk Bovenhuis |
| author_sort | Pedro Sá |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The objectives of this study were to estimate genetic parameters and studying the influence of early-life and parental factors on the semen traits of boars. The dataset included measurements on 449,966 ejaculates evaluated using a Computer-Assisted Sperm Analysis (CASA) system from 5692 artificial insemination (AI) boars. In total, we considered 16 semen traits measured on fresh semen and 6 sperm motility traits measured on semen after storage. Early-life effects included the dam’s parity, ages of the dam and sire, gestation length, litter size, litter sex ratio, number of piglets born alive, number of litter mates at weaning, rearing length, and weight gain. A repeatability model accounting for effects at collection was used to (1) estimate heritabilities and repeatabilities for semen traits and genetic and phenotypic correlations between traits, (2) test the significance of early-life effects, (3) quantify the contribution of exclusive dam and sire inheritances to the phenotypic variation, i.e., mitochondrial DNA and the Y chromosome, identified using a pedigree-based approach, and (4) quantify the contribution of maternal and paternal environment effects to the phenotypic variation of semen traits. Results We reported heritabilities between 0.11 and 0.27 and repeatabilities between 0.20 and 0.65 for semen traits. Semen quality traits showed a skewed distribution, and their transformation significantly reduced their repeatability estimates. Motility traits measured after storage were genetically different from motility traits measured on fresh semen. Early-life had suggestive effects on a limited number of semen traits. Mitochondrial DNA and the Y chromosome did not explain a discerning proportion of the phenotypic variance and the effect of the paternal environment was also negligible. We estimated a significant maternal environment effect predominantly on sperm motility traits, explaining between 2.3 and 4.6% of the phenotypic variance. Including maternal environmental effects in the model reduced heritability estimates for sperm motility traits and total morphological abnormalities. Conclusions Our findings indicate that trait transformation has a large effect on repeatability estimates of semen traits. Sperm motility traits measured on fresh semen are genetically different from sperm motility traits measured after storage. Early-life conditions can have an effect on later semen quantity and quality traits. Mitochondrial DNA and Y chromosome inheritances showed no effect on semen traits. Finally, we emphasize the importance of considering maternal effects when analysing semen traits, which results in lower heritability estimates. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-302e1110a7e34af6874214c895def16b |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1297-9686 |
| language | deu |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Genetics Selection Evolution |
| spelling | doaj-art-302e1110a7e34af6874214c895def16b2025-02-09T12:04:32ZdeuBMCGenetics Selection Evolution1297-96862025-02-0157111310.1186/s12711-025-00954-6Genetic parameters and parental and early-life effects of boar semen traitsPedro Sá0Rodrigo M. Godinho1Marta Gòdia2Claudia A. Sevillano3Barbara Harlizius4Ole Madsen5Henk Bovenhuis6Animal Breeding and Genomics, Wageningen University and ResearchTopigs Norsvin Research Center B.V.Animal Breeding and Genomics, Wageningen University and ResearchTopigs Norsvin Research Center B.V.Topigs Norsvin Research Center B.V.Animal Breeding and Genomics, Wageningen University and ResearchAnimal Breeding and Genomics, Wageningen University and ResearchAbstract Background The objectives of this study were to estimate genetic parameters and studying the influence of early-life and parental factors on the semen traits of boars. The dataset included measurements on 449,966 ejaculates evaluated using a Computer-Assisted Sperm Analysis (CASA) system from 5692 artificial insemination (AI) boars. In total, we considered 16 semen traits measured on fresh semen and 6 sperm motility traits measured on semen after storage. Early-life effects included the dam’s parity, ages of the dam and sire, gestation length, litter size, litter sex ratio, number of piglets born alive, number of litter mates at weaning, rearing length, and weight gain. A repeatability model accounting for effects at collection was used to (1) estimate heritabilities and repeatabilities for semen traits and genetic and phenotypic correlations between traits, (2) test the significance of early-life effects, (3) quantify the contribution of exclusive dam and sire inheritances to the phenotypic variation, i.e., mitochondrial DNA and the Y chromosome, identified using a pedigree-based approach, and (4) quantify the contribution of maternal and paternal environment effects to the phenotypic variation of semen traits. Results We reported heritabilities between 0.11 and 0.27 and repeatabilities between 0.20 and 0.65 for semen traits. Semen quality traits showed a skewed distribution, and their transformation significantly reduced their repeatability estimates. Motility traits measured after storage were genetically different from motility traits measured on fresh semen. Early-life had suggestive effects on a limited number of semen traits. Mitochondrial DNA and the Y chromosome did not explain a discerning proportion of the phenotypic variance and the effect of the paternal environment was also negligible. We estimated a significant maternal environment effect predominantly on sperm motility traits, explaining between 2.3 and 4.6% of the phenotypic variance. Including maternal environmental effects in the model reduced heritability estimates for sperm motility traits and total morphological abnormalities. Conclusions Our findings indicate that trait transformation has a large effect on repeatability estimates of semen traits. Sperm motility traits measured on fresh semen are genetically different from sperm motility traits measured after storage. Early-life conditions can have an effect on later semen quantity and quality traits. Mitochondrial DNA and Y chromosome inheritances showed no effect on semen traits. Finally, we emphasize the importance of considering maternal effects when analysing semen traits, which results in lower heritability estimates.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12711-025-00954-6 |
| spellingShingle | Pedro Sá Rodrigo M. Godinho Marta Gòdia Claudia A. Sevillano Barbara Harlizius Ole Madsen Henk Bovenhuis Genetic parameters and parental and early-life effects of boar semen traits Genetics Selection Evolution |
| title | Genetic parameters and parental and early-life effects of boar semen traits |
| title_full | Genetic parameters and parental and early-life effects of boar semen traits |
| title_fullStr | Genetic parameters and parental and early-life effects of boar semen traits |
| title_full_unstemmed | Genetic parameters and parental and early-life effects of boar semen traits |
| title_short | Genetic parameters and parental and early-life effects of boar semen traits |
| title_sort | genetic parameters and parental and early life effects of boar semen traits |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12711-025-00954-6 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT pedrosa geneticparametersandparentalandearlylifeeffectsofboarsementraits AT rodrigomgodinho geneticparametersandparentalandearlylifeeffectsofboarsementraits AT martagodia geneticparametersandparentalandearlylifeeffectsofboarsementraits AT claudiaasevillano geneticparametersandparentalandearlylifeeffectsofboarsementraits AT barbaraharlizius geneticparametersandparentalandearlylifeeffectsofboarsementraits AT olemadsen geneticparametersandparentalandearlylifeeffectsofboarsementraits AT henkbovenhuis geneticparametersandparentalandearlylifeeffectsofboarsementraits |