https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2715-5523
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Abstract
Pursuing the community-based breeding program (CBBP) selection of the breeding sire for Bonga sheep estimated breeding value by six months body weight, testicle size, and physical characteristics were used as selection criteria. A study was conducted to investigate the association of sire selection traits with semen characteristics and to estimate their heritability. Data were collected from a total of 101 adult breeding sires of Bonga sheep. Semen was collected using artificial vagina and processed for semen qualities. The variance components and genetic parameters were estimated using multivariate analysis of animal model using restricted maximum likelihood method of WOMBAT software. Six different animal models were compared for the dataset and best-fit model was selected using Akaike information Criteria (AIC). Direct additive effect (model 1) was the best-fit model for the current dataset. The direct heritability for studied traits were 0.23 ± 0.122, 0.13 ± 0.129, 0.13 ± 0.110, 0.09 ± 0.036, 0.37 ± 0.155, and 0.11 ± 0.162 for semen volume, mass motility, concentration, total spermatozoa, six months body weight, and scrotum circumference, respectively. Moderate heritability of six months body weight and semen volume indicated that further breed improvement through selection is possible. Low heritability of semen characteristics traits indicated that good semen quality could be obtained by improving environmental management of the sire. Both six months body weight and scrotum circumference have high and positive correlation with sperm mass motility, and concentration but negatively correlated with semen volume and total spermatozoa production. Given the strong correlation between semen characteristic qualities, the associated response was anticipated.
Acknowledgments
Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural research (EIAR), and Southwest Ethiopia Agricultural Research Institute (SWEARI) at Bonga Agricultural Research Center (BARC) for following up the activity and provides logistics.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Author contribution statement
Ebadu Areb: Conceptualization, Methodology, Validation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Data Curation, Writing—Original Draft, and Visualization.
Zelalem Abate: Methodology, Validation, Investigation, Formal analysis, Data Curation, and Writing—Original Draft, and Visualization.
Nahom Belay: Methodology, Validation, Investigation, and Data Curation.
Tegbaru Gebresilase : Methodology, Validation, Investigation, and Data Curation.
Adisu Gebremikael: Methodology, Validation, Investigation, and Data Curation.
Data repository statement
None of the data were deposited in an official repository because Bonga Agricultural Research Centre has no official repository.
Ethics approval
No ethical concern because the study was based on measured semen characteristics and sire selection criteria. All sire included in this study were farmers own property and were managed in accordance with the recommended code of practice for the care and handling of farm animals from the Ethiopian ministry of agriculture.
Geo-location information
This study was conducted with the geographical location of 7º 34´N latitude and 37 º 6´E longitudes, south west regional state of Ethiopia.
Additional information
Funding
Notes on contributors
Ebadu Areb
Ebadu Areb is a researcher in South Agricultural Research Institute at Werabe Agricultural Research Center, Werabe Ethiopia. He has an experience on counseling the community in addition of working different research activities. The research activities are published by different peer-reviewed Scopus journals.
Zelalem Abate
Zelalem Abate is a researcher in Southwest Agricultural Research Institute at Bonga Agricultural Research Center, Bonga, Ethiopia. He has an experience on counseling the community in addition of working different research activities. The research activities are published by different peer-reviewed Scopus journals.
Nahom Belay
Nahom Belay is a researcher in Southwest Agricultural Research Institute at Bonga Agricultural Research Center, Bonga, Ethiopia. He has an experience on counseling the community in addition of working different research activities. The research activities are published by different peer-reviewed Scopus journals.