The influence of divergent growth selection of semen traits, fertility and hatchability.
The effects of divergent growth selection for 18 generations on semen characteristics, fertility and hatchability were investigated. Males from the low weight line produced semen with a significantly (P less than or equal to 0.05) higher sperm concentration and a highly significantly (P less than or equal to 0.01) lower methylene blue reduction time than the males from the high line. Differences between lines for semen volume, sperm motility, percent of live sperm, fertility and hatchability were not statistically significant.
D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology; D004531:Eggs; D005298:Fertility; D007185:Incubators; D008297:Male; D012641:Selection, Genetic; D012661:Semen / Q000166:cytology; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000166:cytology