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Pastoral dairy bull procurements and management effects on fertility
Mitchell, K.; Beggs, D.; Mansell, P...
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Objective: Dairy herd bulls are utilised on most farms as a backup to AI in the southern Australian dairy system. The current recommendations for their management include the purchasing and movement of bulls onto farm 2-3 months prior to their use. This recommendation is from the Bull Power study completed in Queensland & New South Wales, Australia which assessed beef bull reproductive performance following transportation to new properties and changes in management conditions.
We aimed to assess dairy bulls’ reproductive performance; both prior to sale and following movement onto their destination property under new management conditions. Links between stress associated with transportation & management changes, semen motility, morphology and scrotal circumference will be investigated.
Methods: Holstein-Friesian & Jersey bulls (n=34) were examined using a veterinary bull breeding soundness evaluation (VBBSE) on their farms. Bulls were then transported to new properties and a VBBSE was repeated at 20 days, 50-70 days and 120-150 days following arrival. At each VBBSE semen samples were collected via electroejaculation and submitted for morphological examination by a registered morphology laboratory.
Management practices on the property of origin and new property were noted for each of the bulls. Recorded management practices included mixing with existing bull teams, workload, and nutrition.
Results: Preliminary results show that following movement onto a new property and changes to management (BBSE 20d) sperm morphology & scrotal circumference are temporarily negatively affected, these deficits are resolved in the following BBSEs (50-70d, 120-150d). Some correlation between distance travelled and the effect on semen morphology and scrotal circumference is evident in preliminary assessment of the data set.
Conclusion: The current recommendations for dairy herd bulls throughout Australia are based on data obtained from a study of beef bulls completed in 2005. This work aims to give appropriate guidelines for minimum timing of procurement prior to use as well as an indication of the likely stress associated with mixing of bull teams.
Keywords: Bull, fertility, scrotal circumference, semen morphology, dairy herd bull.
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Affiliation of the authors at the time of publication
Scottsdale Veterinary Services/University of Melbourne, Scottsdale, Tasmania, Australia;
University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.
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