Breeding soundness exam Flashcards
what proportion of beef bulls are reproductively deficient?
Up to 30% of beef bulls are reproductively deficient
Purpose of the BSE
- To assess the potential breeding ability of the male
- Following the entire procedure, males are classified as “Satisfactory”, “Unsatisfactory” or “Classification Deferred” Potential Breeders
basic qualities a male needs to be fertile:
- Good libido
- Be physically sound
- Good semen quality
- Be free of disease (congenital, infectious and acquired)
qualities that earn a bull an unsatisfactory classification
- Poor libido or other major behavioural issues
- Unsoundness (eyes, teeth, limbs, back, reproductive etc.)
- Scrotal or testicular measurement small for breed/size/age
- Heritable conditions (penile deviations, cryptorchidism, inherited diseases)
- Poor quality semen
- Infectious diseases (Trichomoniasis, campylobacter etc.)
- Acquired conditions that affect reproduction
Components of the Breeding Soundness Evaluation of the Male
- Breeding Behaviour Evaluation
- General Examination
- Semen Quantity and Quality Determination
what do we look at to evaluate breeding behaviour
-Mating ability
-Libido
-Social dominance (bulls, rams)
-The single most important factor determining how many mares a stallion (or cows a bull, etc) can breed in a year is:
his LIBIDO
how does social dominance play into breeding evaluation?
- In herd situations one socially dominant male will sire most or all of the offspring
- May not be what the producer desires
how do we assess mating ability
-Take a good history – are they observing breeding (eg. Beef bulls, rams, bucks)
-Observe during BSE (stallion; dog)
General and Reproductive Examination components
Physical exam
External Genital Organs
Internal Genital Organs
components of the physical exam
-Weight and BCS
-Feet and leg structure
-Eyes
-Teeth
-Smell
components of the external genital organ exam
Penis, Prepuce, Scrotum, Testicles, Epididymes
how do we examine the penis in the stallion?
sexual stimulus (teasing mares)
* Sedation
how do we examine the penis in the bull?
– transrectal massage of Accessory glands
* Electroejaculation
* Sedation
Examination of the Penis and Prepuce
Look for:
Swellings
Hair rings (bulls)
Hematoma (bulls)
Penis should move freely in sheath
Persistent frenulum (ruminants)
Penile deviations (ruminants)
Warts (bulls ‐ BPV)
Tumours (horses)
Habronemiasis (horses)
Injuries
Penile Hematoma in the Bull; how does it occur, what is it?
- Bulls breeding naturally
- Rupture of the tunica albuginea due to sudden bending (usually movement of the cow during breeding)
- Escape of blood from CCP into elastic layers of penis
- Location of swelling – immediately in front of scrotum
Penile Hematoma in the Bull; treatment
- Medically – 60 days sexual rest, hydrotherapy, NSAIDS
- 50% of bulls return to service
- Surgery ?
- Chance of abscess, adhesions or vascular shunt formation
causes of penile swelling in bull
I dunno tbh
-Penile Hematoma
-Avulsion of the Prepuce
-preputial injuries
-Penile Deviations
-neoplasms
>squamous cell carcinoma
Penile Habronemiasis
EHV-1 Coital Exanthema
Diagnosis of Preputial Injury in Bulls, presentation, when do we see it
- Bulls in AI centers – injury during collection – or bulls in natural breeding program
- Swelling slightly further forward
- If acute, present with preputial
prolapse, swelling +/‐ phimosis - Rarely present acutely unless in A.I. centre
- If chronic may present for inability to protrude penis from sheath
Treatment of Preputial Injuries in Bulls
- Strict sexual rest 60 days
- Hydrotherapy, ointment application
- If prolapsed, return penis to sheath
- Medical tx ‐ about 50% success
- Surgical repair
> Reefing operation (circumcision)
Penile Deviations in Bulls; caused by what? possible types?
– abnormalities of the apical ligament
Ligament Too long – ventral deviation
Ligament Too short (very rare) – S-shaped deviation
Cannot maintain ligament in normal position – spiral deviation
more common neoplasm for penis of stallions and geldings
Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Squamous Cell Carcinoma diagnosis
biopsy
Squamous Cell Carcinoma of horse penis is associated with what
Associated with equine
papilloma virus‐2
Squamous Cell Carcinoma treatment
Treatment – excision of masses, cryotherapy
* 5‐Fluorouracil topically
* Penile amputation in severe cases
squamous cell carcinoma metastasis risk
Slow and late to metastasize but check regional lymph nodes
Preputial and Penile Injuries in Stallions - treatment
- Emergencies!
- Aim is to reduce swelling and return penis to sheath
- Massage and use of Esmarch bandage
- Sling support
- Hydrotherapy
- Emollient dressing
- Systemic Anti‐inflammatories
Priapism; what is it, when do we see it, can result in what?
- Persistent erection
- Associated with administration of phenothiazine tranquilizers
- Can result in paraphimosis due to effects of gravity
priapism treatment
- Treatment – if acute treat as previous with sling, anti inflammatories etc.
- Benztropine mesylate IV
- Lavage of Corpus cavernosum
result of chronic priapism? what should we do?
- If chronic can result in penile paralysis due to pudendal nerve damage, and penile fibrosis with poor prognosis
- Penile amputation required
normal vs abnormal scrotum for bull
Normal for a bull is:
-pendulous
Abnormal:
-Straight sides
-Wedge
-Rotated
> is possible too have it too pendulous, or not pendulous enough
Evaluating Scrotal Contents:
Testicles and Epididymes - what do we examine?
Presence – are there two?
Size and Shape – for species
Consistency – firm and smooth
Mobility – freely mobile within the scrotum
Uniformity – are both similar
Ultrasound appearance
how are testicles oriented in the stallion
Testes are held horizontally
cranial: epididymal head
caudal: epididymal tail
testicular volume is proportional to what in the bull
SEMEN PRODUCING CAPACITY
As testicular size increases, the probability of a bull being a satisfactory breeder increases
Evaluation of Semen Producing Capacity and Quality; what do we look at?
Scrotal circumference (bull, ram)
>Total scrotal width (stallion)
>Individual testis measurements (stallion, dog)
Semen collection
Semen evaluation
Heritability of Scrotal Circumference (SC) in Bulls, and how it relates to puberty, and other heritability-related correlations
- SC is highly heritable
- SC is a more accurate predictor of onset of puberty
in a young bull than age or weight - A bull’s SC has high correlations with:
- his son’s SC
- His heifers’ fertility (age at first breeding/calving, pregnancy rates)
minimum scrotal circumference for mature bulls
simmental (37) > angus, charlolais (36) > hereford (35) > limousin, shorthorn (34)
Ram – Scrotal circumference – recommended minimums
- Rams >70 kg ‐ > 30 cm SC
- Rams > 110 kg‐ > 36 cm SC
Total Scrotal Width in the Stallion at 2-3; 4-6; 7+yrs
- 2‐3 yrs > 81 mm
- 4‐6 yrs > 85 mm
7 yrs > 95 mm
expected daily sperm output of the stallion based on testicle size
Expected Daily sperm output
DSO = 0.024 X (Vol L + Vol R) – 0.76
Alterations from normal echotexture in the testis should alert you to what?
probable neoplasia
Internal Genital Organs to be examined
Pelvic urethra
Prostate
Seminal vesicles
Ampullae
Bulbourethral glands
Ductus deferens
Internal inguinal ring
Disease of Accessory Glands in bulls; most common, who gets it, signs, treatment
- Bulls – seminal vesiculitis most common
- Most often young bulls housed together
- If acute= painful, large on palpation, chunks of pus in semen, neutrophils on cytology of semen
- Antibiotic therapy unrewarding
- Most recover spontaneously without tx
Disease of Accessory Glands in dog
prostate disease
Disease of Accessory Glands in stallion; most common
– ampullary blockage (sperm accumulation) most common
Ampullary obstruction in the stallion presents as what
Presents as azoospermia if complete, or an ejaculate with low numbers of sperm (and lots of loose heads) if incomplete
Ampullary obstruction in the stallion treatment
– frequent collections – give oxytocin and do transrectal massage of glands ‐ just before – until he “blows out” the obstruction!
second most common disease of the accessory glands of the stallion
seminal vesiclulitis (uncommon)
