Genetic gain and economic weights of selection strategies including boar semen traits in a cross-breeding system

Abstract Text:

Economic weights and genetic gains from alternative selection strategies, excluding or including four boar semen traits, were evaluated. The semen traits were: volume (VOL), semen concentration (CON), progressive motion of spermatozoa (MOT), abnormal spermatozoa (ABN) and an index thereof (DOSES). A three-way crossbreeding scheme (maternal nucleus lines A and B, and paternal nucleus line C) was considered. The economic weights of VOL, CON, MOT, ABN, and DOSES for 7 to 1 semen collections per week ranged from US$0.21 to $1.44/ml, $0.12 to $0.83/x10³/mm³, $0.61 to $12.66/%, $-0.53 to $-10.88/%, and 2.01 to 41.43 %/dose, respectively. Genetic gains across strategies were similar for the maternal traits and lower for the growth traits when semen traits were considered. The strategy including the four boar semen traits separately enabled higher genetic gains in these traits relative to DOSES without compromising the genetic gain in the maternal traits.

Keywords:

economic weight