Do You Know Where Your Bull Is?Do You Know Your Bull’s Physical and Fertility Conditions?Do You Know the Importance of Breeding Soundness Evaluation?

Floron C. Faries, Jr., DVM, MS

Texas AgriLife Extension Service

College of Veterinary Medicine

Texas A&M University

http://extesionvetmed.tamu.edu

Do You Know Where Your Bull Is?

He’s not staying with the cows.

He’s not serving the cows.

He’s not staying with the cows.

In the shade

Lying down

Unable to find cow in heat

He’s gone

In the shade:

pinkeye cancer eye fat hot lazy tired low libido

Lying down:

thin, weak, tired, low libido

foot crack, foot corn, foot rot, toe fracture, long toes

bursitis (hip, stifle, hock, ankle, shoulder, spine)

fever (sinusitis, bronchitis, pneumonia, pleursy, peritonitis, abscess, gastroenteritis, orchitis)

anemia (lepto, anaplas)

Unable to find cow in heat:

pinkeye cancer eye sinusitis

He’s gone:

no grass

no cows in heat

He’s not serving the cows.

Unable to mate

Unable to ejaculate

Unable to conceive

Unable to mate:

foot problem

bursitis

penis problem (infection, hair ring, broken penis, warts, frenulum, spiral penis)

sheath problem (infection, prolapse)

Unable to ejaculate:

seminal vesiculitis

scrotal hernia

Unable to conceive:

low sperm count (inherited small testicles,

orchitis, epididymitis, scrotal adhesions, pointed

scrotal shape, straight scrotal shape, fat, thin,

inheritable)

low sperm motility (inheritable)

high abnormal sperm (inheritable)

Do You Know Your Bull’s Physical and Fertility Conditions?

You make observations and evaluations.

Your scoring criteria.

Have a veterinarian conduct a breeding soundness evaluation (BSE).

Scoring criteria for BSE by veterinarian.

Rating of BSE by veterinarian.

You make observations and evaluations.

physical observation

serving observation

bull to cow ratio evaluation

pregnancy evaluation

Physical observation:

injury

lameness

illness

conformation abnormalities

penile abnormalities

Serving observation:

ability to mate

ability to ejaculate

libido and serving capacity

Bull to Cow ratio evaluation:

1:10 to 1:60

Pregnancy evaluation:

60 – 100%

Your scoring criteria.

normal physical observations

able to mate (physical and learning factors)

able to ejaculate

moderate to high libido and serving capacity

Moderate to high libido and serving capacity:

genetically influenced

unrelated to semen quality and masculinity

1 or more services in 1 cow in 10 to 15 minutes

3 or more services in 4 cows in 40 minutes

Have a veterinarian conduct a breeding soundness evaluation (BSE).

one to two months before and immediately after breeding season.

external physical examination:

internal physical examination:

semen evaluation:

External physical examination:

age teeth flesh cover nose eyes feet legs

External physical examination:

prepuce penis frenulum testicles (size, shape, consistency) cords epididymis scrotum (shape, free)

Internal physical examination:

seminal vesicles

inguinal rings

Semen evaluation:

sperm motility

sperm morphology

Scoring criteria for BSE by veterinarian.

physical examination

scrotal circumference

sperm motility

sperm normality

Physical examination:

normal

Scrotal circumference:

15 months – 30 cm minimum

24 months – 33 cm minimum

Sperm motility:

30% minimum

Sperm normality:

70% minimum

Rating of BSE by veterinarian.

satisfactory potential breeder

classification deferred

unsatisfactory potential breeder

Do You Know the Importance of BSE?

High breeding ratio. High conception rate. Short breeding season. Short calving season. Heifer progeny.

High breeding ratio.

1:40 to 1:60

High conception rate.

greater than 90%

Short breeding season.

less than 3 months

Short calving season.

increased total weaning weight

Heifer progeny.

younger puberty age

regular heat cycles

greater lifetime productivity