Cattle producers consider many factors when making the decision of which bull to turn out with the cows. What genetic and physical improvements need to be made? What sire breed would best complement my cow base? How many bulls are needed to correctly cover my cows? These are all relevant questions that need to be answered as we approach the spring breeding season. Nonetheless, without a proper Breeding Soundness Exam (BSE), these decisions may not matter. The greatest bull with bad semen will not produce calves. So, consider a BSE insurance for your breeding season.
“It is essential to evaluate bulls every year before breeding starts because the fertility of an individual animal can vary from year to year. The breeding soundness exam should be performed 30 to 60 days before the start of breeding season. It is important to allow sufficient time to replace questionable bulls,” said Buzz Iliff, veterinarian with the Wyoming Vet Clinic. “This will also allow enough time for stressed animals to recover and to be tested again before beginning the breeding season.”
According to Buzz, the stress of the harsh winter could have an affect on a bull’s fertility, especially with the increased potential of frostbite to a bull’s testicles. Consulting your veterinarian to conduct a BSE will include a semen check, which can determine semen quality and fertility.
The physical examination of a BSE includes evaluating body condition, feet and leg structure and the general health of the individual bull. The external evaluation of the reproductive tract includes evaluation of the testes, spermatic cords and epididymis. Scrotal circumference is an important measure since it is directly related to the total mass of sperm-producing tissue, sperm cell normality and the onset of puberty in the bull and his female offspring.
Weight and body condition are important factors in whether a bull will be a good breeder. He needs to be in proper fitness condition to be athletic and have the endurance to breed cows.
It's important to remember that a fat bull is not as athletically fit and is just as likely to hurt himself and have issues covering cows as a bull that is too thin. When we talk about body condition scores, a body score 5 to 6 (with 1 being emaciated and 9 being obese) is fine for a bull. A BCS 5 bull isn't particularly pretty, but he is going to settle more cows than the fat bull.
Throughout the breeding season, managers need to observe and address health issues and physical problems that may arise, and manage the hierarchy of social dominance among the bulls. This is true if your herd has two bulls or 20 bulls. There's no substitute for knowing your bulls and closely monitoring them to see what's actually happening in the pasture.
"It is very important to continually assess these interactions and adjust things if necessary - move bulls, rest bulls or whatever is needed to make sure the cows get bred," Buzz said.
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