Skip to main content

Table 3 Sperm morphology traits examined in Swiss BSW bulls. Description of sperm morphology traits and their classification into compensatory or non-compensatory and major or minor defects as used in the breeding soundness examination of bulls at the Swiss artificial insemination centre Swissgenetics

From: Autosomal recessive loci contribute significantly to quantitative variation of male fertility in a dairy cattle population

Defect number

Description

Compensatory or non-compensatory

Major or minor

0

Abnormal head shape (pyriform / pear shape, tapered / narrow head base, others)

Non-compensatory

Major

1

Vacuoles

Non-compensatory

Major

2

Condensed DNA

Non-compensatory

Major

3

Micro- or macroencephaly

Compensatory

Minor

4

Loose heads

Compensatory

Minor

5

Knobbed acrosome

Compensatory

Major

6

Detached acrosome

Compensatory

Minor

7

Dag defect

Compensatory

Major

8

Curled tail (clef-like)

Compensatory

Major

9

Middle-piece knobbed

Compensatory

Major

10

Tail abaxially attached to head

Compensatory

Minor

11

Tail end loop

Compensatory

Minor

12

Cytoplasmic droplet proximal (middle-piece near head)

Compensatory

Major

13

Cytoplasmic droplet distal (middle-piece near tail)

Compensatory

Minor

14

Underdeveloped

Compensatory

Major

15

Double form

Compensatory

Minor