2. 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

5. Do You Know Where Your Bull Is? He’s not staying with the cows. He’s not serving the cows.

6. He’s not staying with the cows. In the shade Lying down Unable to find cow in heat He’s gone

7. In the shade: pinkeye cancer eye fat hot lazy tired low libido

8. 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)

9. Unable to find cow in heat: pinkeye cancer eye sinusitis

10. He’s gone: no grass no cows in heat

11. He’s not serving the cows. Unable to mate Unable to ejaculate Unable to conceive

12. Unable to mate: foot problem bursitis penis problem (infection, hair ring, broken penis, warts, frenulum, spiral penis) sheath problem (infection, prolapse)

21. Unable to ejaculate: seminal vesiculitis scrotal hernia

22. 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)

23. 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.

24. You make observations and evaluations. physical observation serving observation bull to cow ratio evaluation pregnancy evaluation

25. Physical observation : injury lameness illness conformation abnormalities penile abnormalities

26. Serving observation: ability to mate ability to ejaculate libido and serving capacity

27. Bull to Cow ratio evaluation: 1:10 to 1:60

28. Pregnancy evaluation: 60 – 100%

29. Your scoring criteria. normal physical observations able to mate (physical and learning factors) able to ejaculate moderate to high libido and serving capacity

31. 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

32. 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:

33. External physical examination: age teeth flesh cover nose eyes feet legs

34. External physical examination: prepuce penis frenulum testicles (size, shape, consistency) cords epididymis scrotum (shape, free)

35. Internal physical examination: seminal vesicles inguinal rings

36. Semen evaluation: sperm motility sperm morphology

37. Scoring criteria for BSE by veterinarian. physical examination scrotal circumference sperm motility sperm normality

38. Physical examination: normal

39. Scrotal circumference: 15 months – 30 cm minimum 24 months – 33 cm minimum

40. Sperm motility: 30% minimum

41. Sperm normality: 70% minimum

42. Rating of BSE by veterinarian. satisfactory potential breeder classification deferred unsatisfactory potential breeder

44. Do You Know the Importance of BSE? High breeding ratio. High conception rate. Short breeding season. Short calving season. Heifer progeny.

45. High breeding ratio. 1:40 to 1:60

46. High conception rate. greater than 90%

47. Short breeding season. less than 3 months

48. Short calving season. increased total weaning weight

49. Heifer progeny. younger puberty age regular heat cycles greater lifetime productivity