title: Genetic parameters of rabbit semen traits and male fertilising ability.
abstract: This study aimed to estimate genetic parameters for rabbit semen production, semen characteristics and fertilising ability following artificial insemination. It involved five successive batches of 30-36 bucks each, 22 weeks of semen collection, and 11 weeks of semen recording per batch. Semen analyses were based on 2312 ejaculates. A total of 2019 inseminations were performed on 674 females with semen from 236 ejaculates from 128 bucks. Heritability estimates of semen traits ranged from 0.05 to 0.18. At approximately 0.05-0.06 for pH, volume and mass motility, they were higher for concentration (0.10) and the total number of sperms per ejaculate (0.12), and even higher for motility traits based on computer-assisted semen analysis. The percentage of motile sperms had the highest heritability (0.18) and appeared to be a good candidate criterion to select for both sperm number and motility. The heritability estimates were close to zero for all three criteria of fertilising ability: fertility (F), prolificacy (live births, LB) and their product (LB per insemination). A permanent environmental effect of the male seemed to be higher for LB (0.04) than for F (0.01). The rabbit does accounted for approximately 10% of the variance of the three criteria. With respect to the female, the male contribution was negligible for fertility and in a ratio of 4-10 for the number of live births. In our experimental conditions, prolificacy would thus be more highly influenced by the buck than fertility.
authors.affiliation: INRA, GenPhySE (Génétique, Physiologie et Systèmes d'Elevage), F-31326 Castanet-Tolosan, France; Université de Toulouse, INPT ENSAT, GenPhySE (Génétique, Physiologie et Systèmes d'Elevage), F-31326 Castanet-Tolosan, France; Université de Toulouse, INPT ENVT, GenPhySE (Génétique, Physiologie et Systèmes d'Elevage), F-31076 Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Brun
authors.affiliation: INRA, GenPhySE (Génétique, Physiologie et Systèmes d'Elevage), F-31326 Castanet-Tolosan, France; Université de Toulouse, INPT ENSAT, GenPhySE (Génétique, Physiologie et Systèmes d'Elevage), F-31326 Castanet-Tolosan, France; Université de Toulouse, INPT ENVT, GenPhySE (Génétique, Physiologie et Systèmes d'Elevage), F-31076 Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sanchez
authors.affiliation: INRA, GenPhySE (Génétique, Physiologie et Systèmes d'Elevage), F-31326 Castanet-Tolosan, France; Université de Toulouse, INPT ENSAT, GenPhySE (Génétique, Physiologie et Systèmes d'Elevage), F-31326 Castanet-Tolosan, France; Université de Toulouse, INPT ENVT, GenPhySE (Génétique, Physiologie et Systèmes d'Elevage), F-31076 Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ailloud
authors.affiliation: INRA, GenPhySE (Génétique, Physiologie et Systèmes d'Elevage), F-31326 Castanet-Tolosan, France; Université de Toulouse, INPT ENSAT, GenPhySE (Génétique, Physiologie et Systèmes d'Elevage), F-31326 Castanet-Tolosan, France; Université de Toulouse, INPT ENVT, GenPhySE (Génétique, Physiologie et Systèmes d'Elevage), F-31076 Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Saleil
authors.affiliation: INRA, GenPhySE (Génétique, Physiologie et Systèmes d'Elevage), F-31326 Castanet-Tolosan, France; Université de Toulouse, INPT ENSAT, GenPhySE (Génétique, Physiologie et Systèmes d'Elevage), F-31326 Castanet-Tolosan, France; Université de Toulouse, INPT ENVT, GenPhySE (Génétique, Physiologie et Systèmes d'Elevage), F-31076 Toulouse, France. Electronic address: Michele.theau-clement@toulouse.inra.fr.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Theau-Clément
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001947:Breeding; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility / Q000235:genetics*; D007315:Insemination, Artificial / Q000235:genetics / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D019655:Quantitative Trait, Heritable; D011817:Rabbits / Q000235:genetics*; D012661:Semen / Q000378:metabolism*; D055101:Semen Analysis / Q000662:veterinary
keywords: Artificial insemination; Fertility; Heritability; Rabbit; Semen