MANAGEMENT OF BEEF BULLS FOR HIGH FERTILITY

Beef cattle veterinary practitioners can promote the reproductive perf ormance of their clients' herds by giving sound advice on health and b reeding season management practices. To attain the high levels of fert ility desired in beef herds, bulls and cows must be properly managed. Much attention is usually given the cow health, whereas the bull half of the reproduction equation is often not adequately addressed. Consid eration must be given to maintaining proper body condition and nutriti on; implementing appropriate infectious disease and parasite control p rograms; and appropriately using bull:cow ratios, multiple-sire batter ies, bull rotation schedules, and yearling bulls. The breeding soundne ss examination is only one component of the overall health management scheme. Practitioners, however, must strive to follow the Society for Theriogenology's recommendations on procedures for performing breeding soundness examinations. Careful examination of sperm morphology is cr itical in assessing potential fertility because abnormal sperm morphol ogy is the most common reason bulls fail a breeding soundness examinat ion. Increased veterinary involvement can result in biologic and econo mic improvements in the productivity of beef cattle herds.