Sperm Mobility: A Quantitative Trait of the Domestic Fowl (Gallus domesticus)1

Abstract

Sperm from each rooster within a base population (n = 271) were evaluated with a mobility assay validated in previous work. Frequency analysis confirmed a normal distribution for the variable of sperm mobility. Repeated-measure analysis of males categorized by phenotype demonstrated that average and high sperm mobility phenotypes were distinct and independent of time. Sperm morphology, fertilizing ability, and ATP content were compared between phenotypes. Fertility and sperm ATP content differed (p < 0.001) between phenotypes, whereas sperm morphology did not (p > 0.05). Experimentation with washed sperm demonstrated that phenotype was fully expressed when mitochondrial respiration was the only source of ATP. Sperm mobility increased (p < 0.001) when sperm from average males were exposed to calyculin A, a protein phosphatase inhibitor. Correlation analyses were performed with data from a subpopulation (n = 46) whose range, mean, and variance were equivalent to those of the base population. Neither body weight nor the combined weight of the testes was correlated with sperm mobility (r = -0.02 and 0.01, respectively). In contrast, sperm ATP content was correlated with sperm mobility (r = 0.80). We attribute phenotypic differences in sperm mobility to differential rates of mitochondrial ATP synthesis.

Evaluation of the ejaculate quality of the red jungle fowl, domestic chicken, and bantam chicken in Malaysia

“…The differences in semen concentration between chickens is suspected to involve many factors such as intake of feed, and the body size could be attributed to their different genetic makeup and body weight. The assessment of sperm motility is one of the most often used parameters for semen evaluation (28)(29)(30). The values obtained for semen motility for all 3 breeds were within the range reported for normal cock semen of 40%-80% (16,25,31).…”

Testicular Growth and Comb and Wattles Development in Three Italian Chicken Genotypes Reared Under Free-Range Conditions

“…The breeds tested exhibited a lower testes weight and % of the total BW (0.5% in ER and 0.1% in RL and RM) than broiler strains; this observation is in agreement with data reported by Oke and Ihemenson (2010) in a study on Nigerian local cocks and by Baeza et al (2009) in Geline de Touraine genotype chickens reared outdoor. Indications on relationships between testes weight and semen volume and concentration, total number of sperms and sperm mobility are controversial (Froman and Feltmann, 1998;Lee et al, 1999;Zaniboni and Cerolini, 2008). However, there is a wide variability in testes both for weight and for spermatozoa production within a breed (Zaniboni and Cerolini, 2008).…”

Post-testicular sperm maturation and identification of an epididymal protein in the Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica)

“…In other Galliformes, it is known that sperm oxygen consumption and ATP levels both directly correlated with fertilizing capacity (Wishart 1982, Froman & Feltmann 1998). This ATP is presumably directed to the support of sperm motility as the oxygen consumption among sperm from male domestic fowl with a high mobility phenotype has been estimated as being twice that of sperm from males with average mobility (Froman & Feltmann 1998).…”