Bulls: Breeding Soundness Exam   

Your herd bull is one of the most critical aspects of your cow calf operation. Herd bulls obviously account for half of the genetics in every calf born, which also means your bull will account for half of the genetics in every replacement animal kept that year. With this not only is a sub-fertile bull costing you by decreasing your pregnancy rates but they could also be adding poor genetics into your replacement animals. Your herd sires are not only one of the most important aspects of your herd but they are also one of your greatest investments. With the costs of bulls in todays market many producers I have spoken with are purchasing young bulls just after weaning then raising them until they can breed. This is more inexpensive up front but a lot of your time is invested in this young animal. As they develop and near breeding age it would benefit you greatly to learn if all of your time and money has been invested in a productive animal. This can be accomplished through a Breeding soundness exam at 12-16 mo of age or 60 days prior to your breeding season.

Another issue which can sneak up on a producer is the infertility of the older bull who has proven himself by throwing calves in previous years. Often in this scenario the bull is only noticed sub-fertile at the end of the breeding season when your herd preg rates are sub-par, the majority of your calves are not born early in the calving season or your calf crop is low. Just because a bull has proven himself in previous years doesn't mean he will be productive for the rest of his life. Injuries can occur which could render him infertile temporarily or permanently. Some reports say 10-20% of herd sires will not pass a BSE. For the amount of money invested in this critical part of your herd it would be nice to know if he is still a herd stud or a herd dud. Not to mention you could ask for a higher price if selling a bull who has passed a BSE recently.

For these reasons and more it is recommended to have a bull tested at least 60 days prior to your breeding season. This allows for enough time to either retest your bull after a recovery period has elapsed or enough time for you to secure another bull. It is also recommended to test your bulls after the breeding season to allow you to asses how he has dealt with the stress of breeding and get some insight on the years upcoming calf crop.

For more information regarding breeding soundness exams or if you would like to have your bull tested please feel free to contact me at (386)689-8380.

 

Attached are a few articles explaining the standards of a breeding soundness exam and the importance of testing your herd sires.

 

http://animal.ifas.ufl.edu/ans3319/lab_notes/docs/lab_6d_semen_collection_breeding_bovine.pdf

 

http://extension.usu.edu/files/publications/factsheet/AH_Beef_05.pdf          

 

http://www.cattletoday.com/archive/2010/April/CT2200.php