Bull Fertility Flashcards
How can you definite a fertile bull?
Gets 60% of healthy, cycling females pregnant in the 1st 3w
Gets 90% of them pregnant in the 9 week breeding period
What should be the conception rate of a normal fertile bull?
60%
What should you examine during a bull breeding soundness exam? 1. General clinical examination
General clinical exam
- condition score 3 or 3.5 ideal
- check locomotion - lameness and back pain will reduce mounting
- conformation - unusual conformation predisposes to lameness
- ocular assessment - need to be able to see
- teeth - ocular or undershot jaw - heritable
What should you examine during a bull breeding soundness exam? 2. Reproductive tract examination
Scrotal circumfernce
Testicles and associated structures
Penis and prepuce
Accessory sex glands - rectal palpation of prostate and seminal vesicles, rule out seminal vesiculitis
What should you examine during a bull breeding soundness exam? 3. Semen evaluation
Gross motility
Linear progressive motility
Morphology
White blood cells
What is the most commonly used method of semen collection?
Electro-ejaculation
- poor volume and concentration
- welfare issue
What should you evaluate in semen?
Gross motility - grade 3 or above is acceptable (1-5)
Linear gross motility - how many move progressively
Morphology - make a smear - more than 70% normal
Make a smear to assess for WBCs - stain with methylene blue
- seminal vesiculitis
How can you libido test a bull?
Put it in will a female in oestrus
Should serve her within 20mins, ideally within 10
How does a penile haematoma present?
Swelling
Abscess and adhesion formation
Poor px
How can you treat penile haematoma?
Likely to recurr - cull
Cold hose for 4 days, then 3 weeks of warm hosing and massage
Antibiotics and NSAIDs to prevent abscessation
Surgery to remove blood clot if medical management fails
How does a penile papilloma present and what should you do about it?
Young bulls
Interferes with service
May spontaneously regress, but if not
Surgical removal is indicated
How should you treat a persistent frenulum?
Surgical removal
Don’t use for breeding - heritable
How long will it take for the sperm count to recover after a disease?
60 days
Where are the seminal vesicles located?
Either side of midline on rectal examination
What are some venereal disease spread by the bull?
Campylobacter foetus venerealis
Trichomonas foetus
BHV1