Your bull has a big impact on the profitability of your herd. That one animal affects 50 percent of your next generation's genetics. His ability to cover your cows has a direct impact on your bottom line. A ten percent reduction in ´his vitality could mean ten percent fewer calves to sell next year. Now that's an economic downturn.
Bill Doig, Regional Livestock Specialist with the MU Extension office in Howell County recommended a bull soundness exam as a way to bail-out your breeding season and avoid these problems. Because of the many things that can impact his performance, Doig recommended that each bull expected to cover a herd of cows be tested prior to each breeding season. A thorough exam of your bull can expose conditions that could reduce his productivity.
A typical bull soundness exam consists of three main parts. The first is a physical examination. The vet will palpate your bull's internal sexual organs and examine his external organs for signs of problems. The second part of the exam involves collecting a sample of the bull's semen. The sample will be examined for volume, the amount of live sperm and the general health of the sperm. The final part of the exam is a measurement of the bull's scrotal circumference. This measurement has been shown to have a direct relation to the bull's fertility.
The general results of the examination will classify your bull in one of three ways. “Satisfactory” means your bull met all the minimum criteria to pass the exam. “Deferred” means that a problem was detected that may be corrected. Generally a deferred result suggests the bull should be retested at a later date, following the vet's recommended course of action. Finally, a bull may be classified as “unsatisfactory.” This means a major problem was found during the exam.
It takes a bull about 60 days to generate a new population of sperm. So, if you test your bull too far in advance of the breeding season, the results may not accurately reflect your bull's condition when you turn him out. If you are planning to turn your bull onto your cows around Memorial Day, now's the time to be thinking about having him tested.
When planning to have your bulls tested, make sure that your vet has the equipment necessary for a complete exam. Most vets are familiar with the requirements of the exam, but not all vets have the equipment needed to collect and properly test a sperm sample. Your MU Extension office can help you locate a veterinarian equipped and qualified to perform a complete exam.
Another component of the soundness check you may want to consider is a check for infections and diseases, such as the sexually-transmitted disease, trichomoniasis. Doig said that increased testing in recent years has shown this disease to be more prevalent than once thought. It is spread by the bull from cow to cow and can result in infertility in your bull and abortions in cows. Doig recommended this test, especially if you have introduced animals from outside your herd.
A bull soundness exam is another useful tool you can use to help guard the health, productivity and profitability of your herd.
