Another BSE ??

[fitz]

Put a new young Bull currently coming two yr. with twelve head 1st of Dec.'09 all with calves by them. This was to be his audition. His BSE (done by breeder he came from) was good. Have two first calf heifers in the group still coming in heat. If it were just one I would be quick to blame her alone. Anyway called the vet and I'm going to have the Bull checked again before I shed the two girls. I think this is a no brainer as I will need him again the end of May. Can't afford to wait that long and the problem start in another group. If he is the problem with these two I'm already behind schedule. I raised these two heifers and I hate to think about the time & money lost. I'm going to lose no matter if it is the Bull or the cows. This winter has been quite the challenge.


fitz

 

[jerry27150]

seems funny the other 10 aren't showing heat if it was the bull

 

[fitz]

I agee. I'm just wondering if it's the Bull, why he may have gone bad on me? I've had Bulls work in worst weather by far without problems. Just trying to figure it out.

fitz

 

[Lucky_P]

Could be the bull, could be the heifers.
It takes 60 days for sperm formation/maturation - so...any sperm ejaculated today began their development two months ago.
Fever, injury, whatever - any insult to the testicles that inteferes with sperm production will take 60 days to show up as decreased/absent sperm count or defective sperm. Depending upon the insult, some will recover and return to normal fertility; others will not.
A 'good' BSE today is just a snapshot of that moment in time; today he's good - a month ago he may have been infertile - and, by the same token, if something happened a month ago, a month from now he might 'flunk' his BSE.

 

[DavisBeefmasters]

Correct me if I'm wrong folks... but I believe that the BSE could also hamper his performance for 60 days after the test... was he tested immediately prior to 12/1/09? for which he would have had less production up until about 02/01/10?

 

[dun]

Correct me if I'm wrong folks... but I believe that the BSE could also hamper his performance for 60 days after the test... was he tested immediately prior to 12/1/09? for which he would have had less production up until about 02/01/10?

If he only had enough for one squirt when he had the BSE it ould make him a pretty poor canditate to breed more then one cow occasioanlly

 

[fitz]

Thanks all for the information. He was tested the first of Nov. '09. Are you saying he may only now be reaching any full potential? If I have him tested again I could knock him off another 60 days? I'll talk more to the Doctor on this as today I was only calling to see if they would come out and do it. I quess I'm just looking for reasons not to let the heifers go. Just none of the three involved helping. Maybe I could throw a couple of my May breeders at him early and see what happens ? With the small number he was placed with maybe he was only catching enough to keep up?

fitz

 

[DavisBeefmasters]

Correct me if I'm wrong folks... but I believe that the BSE could also hamper his performance for 60 days after the test... was he tested immediately prior to 12/1/09? for which he would have had less production up until about 02/01/10?

If he only had enough for one squirt when he had the BSE it ould make him a pretty poor canditate to breed more then one cow occasioanlly

...I agree, and we've never had an issue with ours

...but I thought that I've heard that bulls with "marginal" fertility could have an issue and not be back up to their full potential until 60 days or better past the date of testing because of the stress against an already marginal performance... so if this bull was in the marginal category he would have been back to his full potential about 1/1/10 so your heifers may have only had 1 cycle with him in his full working potential

...just a thought, ask your vet and let us know what he/she says

 

[fitz]

I know, a month is a long time to respond. I've been watching the heifers close & one is no longer bulling. I should know about the other next week. She cycled again this month. If she didn't breed she'll leave with some other culls. After reading on here I was hesitant to do the test on the bull. Vet said about the same as Lucky_P, BSE will show me where bull is today. Said as far as hindering his ability it would be no different than breeding four or five cows. Thanks all.

 

[SRBeef]

How was his SC (scrotal circumference) from the first BSE? Was it where it should be for his breed and age?

Jim