Estimation of genetic parameters and effects of cytoplasmic line on scrotal circumference and semen quality traits in Angus bulls

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to estimate the heritability of scrotal circumference (SC) and semen traits, genetic correlations between SC and semen quality traits, and the effect of cytoplasmic line on SC and semen traits. Breeding soundness exam (BSE) data were collected on registered Angus bulls at 4 ranches over 7 yr. The American Angus Association provided historical pedigree information to estimate the effect of cytoplasmic line on SC and semen quality traits. After editing, the evaluated data set contained 1,281 bulls with breeding soundness exam data that traced back to 100 founder dams. Data were analyzed using a 2-trait animal model to obtain heritability, genetic correlation between SC and semen quality traits, as well as the effect of cytoplasmic line as a random effect for SC, percent motility (MOT), percent primary abnormalities (PRIM), percent secondary abnormalities (SEC), and percent total abnormalities (TOT) using multiple-trait derivative-free REML. Fixed effects included source ranch and collection year, and test age was used as a covariate. Estimates of heritability for SC, MOT, PRIM, SEC, and TOT were 0.46, 0.05, 0.27, 0.23, and 0.25, respectively. Genetic correlations between SC and MOT, PRIM, SEC, and TOT were 0.36, -0.19, -0.11, and -0.23, respectively. The proportions of phenotypic variance accounted for by cytoplasmic line for SC, MOT, PRIM, SEC, and TOT were <0.001, 0.013, 0.023, 0.002, and <0.001, respectively. Genetic correlations between SC and semen quality traits were low to moderate and favorable. Cytoplasmic line may have a marginal effect on MOT and PRIM, but is likely not a significant source of variation for SC, SEC, or TOT.