Breeding soundness exam Flashcards
Breeding Soundness Evaluation is used primarily for….
Natural breeding
A PREDICTION of fertility
May be performed as diagnostic procedure AFTER unsuccessful breeding attempts
Breeding Soundness Evaluation is a prediction of _________
Fertility
Breeding Soundness Evaluation may be done after…
Unsuccessful breeding attempts
Breeding soundness exam parameters…
Basically same parameters in any species
History + signalment
Physical exam
Reproductive exam
Semen collection and evaluation
History for breeding soundness exam
General health and preventative care program – including diagnostic tests and vaccinations
History of previous breeding exams and events – successful and not
-Libido important in some species
-Ability to inseminate more critical
Any genetic or other conditions in the breed or specific line to be bred
Physical Exam portion of breeding soundness exam
Check and document ID tag, tattoo, registered name, etc.
Breed and age
General appearance
Bright, dull/depressed, etc.
Eyes, nose, mouth (discharge, lesions, etc.)
MUST BE ABLE TO SEE! (ESP. for BREEDING)
BCS (1-5 dairy; 1-9 other species)
Feet and legs
Genetic problems (do not breed!)
Husbandry problems (fixable)
Need to be able to get to and mount the female!
Specific Serological Tests that may be needed in bulls prior to breeding or transport
Tritrichomoniasis
Maybe campylobacteriosis?
Specific Serological Tests for rams and goats prior to breeding or transport
Rams – Brucella ovis
Rams/Goats – Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis, CAE/OPP, Johne’s
Specific Serological Tests that may be needed in stallions prior to breeding or transport
Equine Infectious Anemia (Coggins test), Equine Viral Arteritis (EVA), Contagious Equine Metritis (CEM)
Any breeding, male dogs need to be tested for _________ ______ and possibly some endocrine disorders
Brucella canis
Exam of Reproductive Tract during breeding and soundness exam
External genitalia exam
-Penis, prepuce, testes
Internal genitalia exam
-Accessory sex glands
In the bull when assessing accessory sex glands, you should be palpating for…
Vesicular glands- usually problem
Usually cannot feel BUGS
May be able to feel ampulla of DD
Body of the prostate should be palpable
Tail of epididymis in bulls is at the distal most aspect (pendulous testes)
Bulls also have a sigmoid flexure and fibroelastic penis
In the stallion when assessing accessory sex glads, you should palpate..
Can’t usually feel the BUGs
Can feelt he vesicular glands well
likely to feel the ampulla of DD more prominent (can get blockages and other issues)
Horses do NOT have a sigmoid flexure
Testicle orientation is different to the bull (oriented more like canine)
Prominent accessory sex glands in the boar
have vesicular glands
BUGs are VERY prominent
has sigmoid flexure but oriented different to bull
Tail of the epididymis is more dorsal
External Genitalia Exam portion of breeding soundness exam
Penis and prepuce: observation & palpation
-Glands penis and prepuce: Examine for normal anatomy and note which breed is being examined!!
-Can be examined during “teasing” or semen collection
Look for “bumps and lumps” and ability to freely exteriorize from the prepuce
Common abnormalities:
-Presistent frenulum
-hypoplastic penis
-nodules or warts
To exteriorize the penis from the prepuce in the ram, pressure should be applied…
Ventral to the penis and prepuce to push sigmoid flexure
Species with Pendulous scotums
bull, ram, buck
Tail of epididymis at ventral most aspect
Species with Craniocaudal orientation of the scrotum
Equine and dog
Horizontal position of tail of epididymis
Species with Cranioventral orientation of the scrotum
Cat and Swine
Tail of the epididymis is oblique towards the tail (tail to tail)
Breeding Examination - Scrotum
Scrotal size = sperm output prediction
Pendulous scrotum species: bulls/rams/bucks- scrotal circumference
Nonpendulous scrotum species: boars/stallion- caliper measurements
Dog and tom generally not measured for sperm output parameters but can use calipers for baseline values
-Not expected to breed multiple females in a certain window of time
In species with pendulous scrotums a _________ _________ can be used to predict the sperm output
Scrotal circumference
(bull, ram, buck)
Scrotal circumference measurement (cm)
Correlates with sperm quality & output
Testes manually pulled down completely and measured around the widest point of the scrotum
In species with Nonpendulous scrotums sperm output may be predicted by…
caliper measurements
Special calipers are used to measure testicular diameter of stallions. Testicular volume is correlated with the quantity of sperm production. Total scrotal width should be at least 8 cm.
Can predict daily sperm output: total testicular volume × 0.024 – 0.76 = DSO
Scrotal Palpation should be done to access
Tone
Symmetry
Temperature
Localize cauda epididymis (epididymitis)
Internal Genitalia Exam should be done to access
Accessory sex glands:
Ampulla
Bulbourethral gland (BUGS)
Prostate (disseminate vs. body)
-Bull, stallion and dog- body
-Small ruminant- disseminate
Vesicular glands
Bulls/Stallions: Palpation of accessory sex glands should be included in routine BSEs
In bulls and stallions palpation of _______ _____ ________ should be included in routine breeding soundness exams
Accessory sex glands
Most common sites of accessory sex gland pathology in the bull
Vesicular glands (vesiculitis)
Most common sites of accessory sex gland pathology in the stallion
Ampulla (blockage)
Accessory sex glands are not routinely assessed in the…
Tom or Boar
Small ruminants also not common but can examine via US if pathology present on semen analysis
In dogs routine digital palpation is usually performed on the…
Prostate
In small ruminants ASGs are not routinely assessed but may be examined via US if…
Pathology is present on semen analysis
In small ruminants ____________ usually occurs concurrently with ___________ and is the most common pathology of the ASGs
Vesiculitis usually occurs concurrently with epididymitis
Semen Collection – BULL
Artificial Vagina (AV)
electroejaculator (EEJ)
Make sure to collect sperm-rich fraction (Cloudy/white portion)
Semen Collection – Ram/Buck
Artificial Vagina (AV)
electroejaculator (EEJ)
May need sedation for bucks
Semen Collection – Boar
Gloved hand technique
Electroejaculator (Only under anesthesia!!)
Collection involves training the male to mount a phantom or female in estrus
Semen Collection – Stallion
Semen collection involves training the male to mount a phantom or female in estrus (In general, the mare would be sedated and/or hobbled for safety)
Semen Collection – Dog
Semen collection involves training the male to be collected via manual stimulation with or without the presence of a teaser bitch or vaginal swabs from an estrus bitch
Three fractions:
Pre-sperm fraction: slightly cloudy in appearance, volume ~0.5-2mL
*Sperm-rich fraction: milky in appearance
Prostatic fraction: crystal clear fluid, do not collect
Three fractions of semen in the dog
Three fractions:
Pre-sperm fraction: slightly cloudy in appearance, volume ~0.5-2mL
Sperm-rich fraction: milky in appearance
Prostatic fraction: crystal clear fluid, do not collect
Semen collection- Tom
AV
Electroejaculator (requires anesthesia)
Semen Evaluation is done to look at…
Gross appearance (color/consistency)
Volume/ Sperm Concentration – if collected by AV
Variable if done by EEJ
Sperm Motility
Morphology
Microscopic Evaluation (Spermiogram) evaluates…
Looking at SPERM characteristics within semen
Motility - gross and individual
Concentration - per ml and per ejaculate (output)
Morphology (under oil immersion lens)
Viability – live/dead evaluation
Sperm Motility evaluation can be done by….
manual or computerized methods
Sperm Motility evaluation
Methods - manual or computerized
Time/temperature sensitive (1st
Should be the first thing you do!
Keep the sample warm
Mass motility - low power (10X-20X objective)
Individual/progressive motility - high power (40X objective)
The first thing that should be looked at in a sperm evaluation besides gross appearance is…
Evaluate sperm motility (time and temp sensitive)
Mass motility classification depends on 2 factors…
Individual sperm motility
Concentration of sample (more concentrated, the better the mass motility)
PROGRESSIVE Sperm Motility
Individual/Progressive Motility
Traveling in straight line
Dilute sample to view
Subjective assessment versus using an automated analyzer (iSperm/CASA)
If any question about mass motility individual should be checked
__________ motility should be checked if there is any question about mass motility
individual
Motility Influencing Factors
Temperature - hot or cold
Chemical - spermicidal agents
Mechanical - aspiration
Osmotic – water
Other - ex. U/V light
Sperm Viability
Not used routinely now due to lack of correlation to fertility
Need to use a “vital” stain - ex. Eosin-nigrosin
Live sperm exclude the stain - thus show up white with a colored background
Dead sperm take up the stain - thus are the same color as the background color (purple)
When vital stain is used on a sperm sample to assess viability the live sperm will…
Exclude the stain (white color)
Dead- uptake the stain (purple, same color as background)
Sperm Viability is not routinely used since…
It lacks correlation with fertility
Sperm Concentration and total sperm numbers
Calculation of sperm per milliliter of Sperm concentration - Calculation of sperm per milliliter of ejaculate
Total sperm numbers - Multiply the sperm concentration per ml by Volume of ejaculate
Laboratory test involving hemacytometer, densimeter, or nucelocounter
Minimal usefulness in animals collected by EEJ (unless freezing semen)
Sperm Concentration has minimal usefulness in animals collected by…
EEJ (stimulating prostate so likely inaccurate)
Useful if freezing semen
Sperm Morphology is critical for…..
Determining overall fertility
MORE IMPORTANT THAN MOTILITY
Sperm Morphology is more important than _________ for fertility
Motility
Sperm Morphology evaluation
Stained smear or formalin fixed sample
ALWAYS use oil immersion (100X objective = 1000X magnification)
Categorize 100 cells as normal or abnormal
-Abnormal classifications
–Help to determine cause and prognosis
Classification of abnormalities in sperm morphology is helpful to…
Determine cause and prognosis
Sperm Morphology Classifications (based on abnormalities)
Location of defect
-Head, mid, tail
Primary vs. Secondary
Compensable vs. Non-compensable
Major vs. Minor (Significance on fertility)
Preferred method for classifying ruminant sperm defects
Location of the defect
(head, mid-piece, tail)
Primary vs. Secondary classification of abnormalities of sperm
Primary abnormalities come from the testes
Insult during spermatogenesis
Head, midpiece, and severe tail defects
Secondary abnormalities arise within the epididymis
Insult during sperm maturation/storage
Detached heads, distal droplets, and mild tail defects
Primary abnormalities of sperm come from the…
Testes
(Insult during spermatogenesis
Head, midpiece, and severe tail defects)
Secondary abnormalities of sperm arise within the…
epididymis
Insult during sperm maturation/storage
Detached heads, distal droplets, and mild tail defects
Proximal and Distal Droplets of sperm
Cytoplasmic droplets normally found throughout sperm formation
Forms proximally during spermatogenesis in seminiferous tubules to release excess cytoplasm
In transit from testicle to epididymis, droplet moves distally
Distal droplet released during ejaculation
Compensable vs. Non-compensable sperm abnormality classification
Compensable- If we increase the dose of sperm we can get the required number of sperm to the egg without problems (compensate the defect by increasing dose therefore increasing the normal sperm that can then fertilize the egg)
Defects are usually at the tail
Non-Compensable- Even if the dose of sperm is increased, we still struggle to get a good fertility because there is competing sperm (defect does not impede ability of the sperm reaching the egg and are then competing with the healthy sperm to initiate fertilization and will likely produce a nonviable embryo)
Defects usually at the midpiece or head (tail normal and can get them to egg)
Non-Compensable sperm defects are usually located at…
Midpeice or tail
Compensable sperm defects typically located at the…
Tail
distal droplets no longer considered abnormal in…
Ruminants
Does not effect the fertility
Passing Spermiogram Requirements in the stallion
Variable based on intended use (AI vs. natural)
~ >60% progressively motile
Concentration should match predicted DSO
~50% morphologically normal?
Passing Spermiogram Requirements in the bull/buck/ram
> 70% morphologically normal sperm
<20% head or midpiece defects
30% progressively motile
What is missing from routine ruminant BSE?
Libido (interest/willingness) or ability to copulate
Communication with client
Encourage them to observe breedings when possible
Or schedule so that you can observe
Serving capacity test
Number of matings a bull is willing and able to perform within a defined interval
Additional Diagnostics for BSE
Cytology - to identify inflammation - presence of WBC’s
Bacterial Culture - ejaculates always have bacterial contamination
Mixed cultures (slight growth)-normal
One organism (heavy growth)-suspicious
If decreased Sperm Viability & Motility then should assess….
(High percentage of dead and/or abnormal sperm present)
Repeated ejaculates needed to confirm a consistency in this finding
-“Rusty load” in bulls?
External factors are a major cause
-Weather, stress, injury, etc.
Accessory glands and epididymides should be examined closely (+/- ultrasonography)
Abnormal Sperm Morphology is most often due to…
Testicular dysfunction
Factors that affect testicular health
Age
General Health
Skin disorders
Disruption of thermoregulation
Fever, inflammation, hernias, etc.
Oliogospermia definition
Reduced numbers of sperm in ejaculate
(Numbers produced directly correlated to testicular size)
Numbers of sperm produced directly correlated to…
Testicular size
Testicular degeneration is normal in….
NORMAL in most small ruminants outside of breeding season
Causes of Oliogospermia
Testicular degeneration
-NORMAL in most small ruminants outside of breeding season
Occlusion of efferent duct system
-Anywhere from epididymis to ductus deferens
Additional Dx:
Ultrasonography +/- biopsy
[ALP] in ejaculate
Subfertility vs Infertility
Uncommon to find complete infertility
Ex. Azoospermia (= no sperm in ejaculate)
Reduced sperm output can be compensated by adding more numbers (when doing AI)
-Can also work if high number of “compensable” sperm defects present
Subfertility becomes infertility if output is reduced due to multiple breedings
Subfertility becomes infertility if output is….
reduced due to multiple breedings
