Molecular Markers for Farm Animals Male Fertility - Short Review

Animal fertility is one of the most important economical traits in animal production. Reproductive performance is controlled by the genetic make-up of the female and male, but in general it is largely affected by environment. Phenotypic selection for reproductive traits can only be carried out after puberty while marker-assisted selection could be a tool of choice to improve animal fertility. Male fertility, the ability of the sperm to fertilize and activate the egg and support early embryonic development is an essential factor for animal reproduction and development. There are several assays and tests which are utilized to predict sperm viability and potential fertility. The progress in development of molecular markers suggests their potential use for genetic improvement in livestock species. It is expected that molecular markers will serve as a potential tool to geneticists and breeders to evaluate the existing germplasm, and to manipulate it to create animals as desired and needed by the society. These molecular fingerprints will allow us to assess semen quality which is more powerful than any previous sperm selection criteria, and provides a foundation for early identification and selection of animals with superior genetics in the animal breeding and for male factor infertility. This review explains the molecular markers for farm animal's male fertility.