The objective of this work was to estimate heritabilities (h²) and genetic correlations (r g) of semen motility (MOT), semen volume (VOL) and spermatozoa concentration (CON) of White Leghorn strain. Six hundred and ninety-eight DD1 strain roosters, developed at CNPSA/EMBRAPA, were used with the ejaculated collected at 24, 26 and 28 wk of age. The heritabilities estimates and standard deviation, respectively for the 24, 26 and 28 weeks of age, were for VOL, .30 (.18), .27(.17) and .32(.18), for MOT, .08(.16), .34 (.18) and .26 (.17), and for CON, .29 (.18), .31 (.17) e .34 (.19). The genetic correlations and standard deviation at 24 weeks of age were -.11 (.56) between MOT and VOL, -1.77 (3.45) between MOT and CON, and .51 (.37) between VOL and CON. At 26 weeks of age the r g estimates were -.15 (.32) between MOT and VOL, -.61 (.36) between MOT and CON, and .65 (.26) between VOL and CON. The r g estimates at 28 weeks of age were -.13 (.35) between MOT and VOL, -.86 (.42) between MOT and CON, and .16 (.29) between VOL and CON. The results suggest that both character semen volume and/or concentration of spermatozoa, measured at 26 weeks of age and on, can be used in pre-selection of White Leghorn males. Sperm motility is not recommended because of the negative correlation with volume and concentration characters.
concentration; genetic correlation; heritability; laying hens; motility; semen; volume
