An annual breeding soundness exam is vital to ensure bulls will be fertile and physically sound at turnout, writes Wyatt Bechtel. Good genetics are useless if the bull is unable to perform his job when covering a cowherd or group of heifers.
Source: Bovine Veterinarian, March 27, 2019. Link. Bechtel shares the four parameters to a breeding soundness exam and what veterinarians will be evaluating:
- Physical examination
- Measuring scrotal size
- Evaluation of semen morphology
- Evaluation of semen motility
INSIGHTS: Note: During a breeding soundness exam a cow-calf producer might consider other testing for diseases, such as trichomoniasis, bovine viral diarrhea virus, anaplasmosis and Johne’s disease. This is especially appropriate if the bull is a new addition to the herd.
This is a good article for social media and e-newsletters, as well as third-party validation for veterinarian recommendations.