Bull BSE and Repro Diseases

Question 1

What should you always do before starting a BSE in a bull?

Answer 1

A general physical exam
- look at body condition score, general health, locomotion, conformation, hooves, and eyes (if a bull cant see, they cant mount)

Question 2

What are the general components of a bull BSE?

Answer 2

Focused repro exam assessing scrotal contents, accessory sex glands, penis/prepuce

Semen quality- assessing motility and morphology

Question 3

Why is transrectal palpation a component of a Bull BSE?

Answer 3

To assess the accessory sex glands

Question 4

What is the minimum percent of progressively motile sperm and normal morphology required to be classified as a satisfactory potential breeder?

Answer 4

-Minimum 30% progressively motile sperm
-minimum 70% normal morphology

Question 5

Which sperm defects are considered “normal”

Answer 5

Distal droplets and abaxial implantation as they do not affect fertility

Question 6

What is the minimum scrotal circumference required for a 15 month old (or younger) calf?

Answer 6

30 cm

Question 7

What is the minimum scrotal circumference required for a 15-18 month old calf?

Answer 7

31 cm

Question 8

What is the minimum scrotal circumference required for a 18-21 month old calf?

Answer 8

32 cm

Question 9

What is the minimum scrotal circumference required for a 21-24 month old calf?

Answer 9

33

Question 10

What is the minimum scrotal circumference required for a 24 month old or greater calf?

Answer 10

34 cm

Question 11

What criteria put bulls into the deferred classification?

Answer 11

• bull is less than 18 months with poor sperm quality
• bulls dont meet minimum sperm parameters, but it is their first offense
  -bulls with evidence of disease with a good prognosis for recovery
  -recheck in 2 weeks to 2 months

Question 12

When are bulls classified as unsatisfactory potential breeders?

Answer 12

-when they have failed more than 1 BSE with no signs of improvement
-when the scrotal circumference is less than the minimum for their age group
-when there is evidence of disease that has a poor prognosis for recovery

Question 13

What causes preputial prolapse and lacerations?

Answer 13

Usually due to trauma and bulls with pendulous sheaths are predisposed
- can also commonly be caused by breeding injury (when bunching of the preputial skin gets trapped between bull abdomen and cow pelvis during ejaculatory lunge)

Question 14

What makes prolapses such a large concern?

Answer 14

Leads to inflammation/edema leading to further trauma/laceration leading to infection

Question 15

How do you treat a prolapse of the prepuce?

Answer 15

Consider topical vs systemic antibiotics depending on the case
-to reduce edema, use hydrotherapy, bandaging, emollient ointment
-to return damaged tissues to preputial cavity use a combo of medical management +/- surgery

Question 16

What are some complications that can occur as a result of preputial injuries?

Answer 16

-stenosis (stricture) of the preputial lumen following preputial injury (scar tissue- cicatrix formation- preputial stenosis)
-phimosis (inability to extend penis)
-no effective treatment once adhesions form besides possibly resection and anastomosis

Question 17

How do retropreputial abscesses form?

Answer 17

They are a sequela to preputial injuries if all damaged tissues are retracted into the preputial cavity and go unnoticed

Question 18

What is the prognosis for retropreputial abscesses?

Answer 18

Poor for future breeding ability
- adhesion formation–> phimosis
-drainage of the abscess through the preputial lumen may facilitate resolution (NOT through overlying skin)

Question 19

Describe the pathogenesis of a persistent frenulum

Answer 19

-Occurs when the penis fails to separate from the prepuce by 12 months of age
-phimosis can occur as a result

Question 20

How can you correct a persistent frenulum?

Answer 20

Ligate the remaining connective tissue

Question 21

Should you pass a bull for breeding after correcting a persistent frenulum?

Answer 21

Maybe- it depends on if their offspring are being used for meat or breeding

Question 22

What should you do about penile warts (papillomas)?

Answer 22

Depends on severity. Can pluck them off or wait and they may regress

Question 23

What are the two reasons that spiral deviation of the penis can occur?

Answer 23

Pathologic due to lateral slippage of the dorsal apical ligament

Iatrogenically can occur during electroejaculation (need to also see during breeding for diagnosis to be made)

Question 24

What is the prognosis for ventral deviation of the penis?

Answer 24

Poor as surgery is very expensive to correct

Question 25

What is the infectious agent (s) responsible for infectious pustular balanoposthitis?

Answer 25

-Bovine herpesvirus type 1 (venereal or respiratory transmission) -Ureaplasma diversum, mycoplasma bovis (venereal transmission, can cause infertility and abortion in females)

Question 26

What are some non-infectious causes of infertility?

Answer 26

-Nutritional deficiencies/toxicities (too high or low BCS, gossypol toxicity, mineral imbalance) -immaturity/genetics -heat or cold stress (scrotal frostbite, disturbed heat regulation) -illness (febrile)

Question 26

How does too low or too high of a BCS affect fertility of bulls?

Answer 26

Too low: insufficient energy, poor semen quality Too high: feet and leg injuries, testicular degeneration due to scrotal insulation

Question 26

How do bulls get affected with gossypol toxicity and what are its affects?

Answer 26

Get affected through consumption of cottonseed products with excess free gossypol (chronic and cumulative) -results in reduced libido, decreased spermatogenesis, decreased sperm motility, and sperm morphologic defects

Question 27

What is the pathogenesis of gossypol toxicity?

Answer 27

Enzyme inhibition of steroid synthesis in testicular Leydig cells and direct mitochondrial damage in spermatozoa -this is reversible

Question 28

What sperm defects are the most common in pubertal bulls?

Answer 28

-Proximal droplet defects

Question 29

What is the main genetic defect of sperm?

Answer 29

Dag defects (strongly folded/coiled tail) -if over 50% there is a strong genetic link -high numbers may also be linked to zinc toxicity

Question 30

What opportunistic pathogens are commonly found as the cause of vesiculitis in bulls?

Answer 30

Brucella abortus, T fetus in rare cases

Question 31

What age group is vesiculitis most common in?

Answer 31

Young peripubertal or aged bulls >9 years -good prognosis if young, poor if old

Question 32

Describe the infection of trichomoniasis in bulls vs cows?

Answer 32

Bulls are asymptomatic carriers -when females are exposed via venereal transmission this can lead to infertility due to endometritis, salpingitis and rarely abortion

Question 33

How long does infection of trichomoniasis last in cows vs bulls?

Answer 33

Cows can clear in 20 weeks if young, but bulls infected after 3 years are often lifelong carriers

Question 34

What is the other name for campylobacteriosis?

Answer 34

Vibrio