Bull Breeding Soundness Exam

Question 1

What are three reasons to perform a bull breeding soundness examination?

Answer 1

to prevent economic loss to purchaser of a bull or to owner

Question 2

What are the three distinct parts of a bull breeding soundness examination?

Answer 2

1.) bull must have the desire/ ability to detect cows/heifers in estrus
2.) be able to mount/breed the cow/heifer
3.) have semen that has adequate # of sperm capable of fertilizing the oocyte

Question 3

What are the accessory glands present in bulls?

Answer 3

vesicular glands
ampulla
prostate

Question 4

What percentage of randomly tested bulls are expected to not be classified as satisfactory potential breeders?

Answer 4

roughly 15-20% won’ t be satisfactory

Question 5

What is the minimum acceptable percentage of progressive motility for bull semen?

Answer 5

70%

Question 6

Where do most primary sperm abnormalities originate?

Answer 6

testis

Question 7

Where do most secondary sperm abnormalities originate?

Answer 7

epididymis

Question 8

Would it be considered appropriate to classify a young bull with a scrotal circumference that does not meet minimum size as classification deferred? Why or why not?

Question 9

What is the appropriate classification of a 13 month old bull that did not pass a BSE because there were too many primary defects in the spermiogram?

Answer 9

classification deferred because semen parameters are considered capable of improvement

Question 10

Regarding bull BSE what does the term “rusty load” mean?

Answer 10

due to a lack of frequency of ejaculation; the sperm that you end up with is from the extragonodal sperm reserve in the ampullae

Question 11

What part of the epididymis is most readily palpated?

Answer 11

the portion of the epididymis that remains in the ventral aspect of the scrotum

Question 12

Why is scrotal circumference considered important? What are some fertility “factors” that correlate to scrotal circumference?

Answer 12

because large scrotal circumference yields offspring that reach puberty earlier

Question 13

What structures are evaluated transrectally during a bull BSE?

Answer 13

vesicular glands
ampulla
prostate
inguinal rings

Question 14

Why are the inguinal rings palpated?

Question 15

What is the evidence that electroejaculation is or is not a painful procedure?

Answer 15

eval of substance p concentration before and after electro ejaculation indicates it is not painful

Question 16

How is a slide prepared to evaluate gross motility and individual motility?

Answer 16

use a eosin-nigrosin (hancock) stain to penetrate the plasma membrane of dead cells
; dry slide quickly to prevent curling of sperm cells

Question 17

Describe how to evaluate spermatozoa morphology (spermiogram)

Answer 17

classify at least 100 spermatozoa as normal, head, midpiece, or tail defect

Question 18

What are cytoplasmic droplets made of?

Answer 18

unsure