How can bulls improve fertility?

Zinc supplementation has been shown to increase ejaculate volume, sperm concentration and motility in bulls. Furthermore, chelated/organic sources of zinc supplementation resulted in more improved fertility than did inorganic sources alone (Arthington et al., 2002).

What is bull fertility?

Bull fertility is often measured by the percentage of cycling females exposed to the bull and impregnated during a specific time period (usually 60–90 days). Actual fertility levels are the result of a combination of genetic potential and environmental factors including nutrition, health, and cow and bull management.

What causes infertility in bulls?

Conditions such as Leptospirosis, Vibriosis, Trichomoniasis, Bovine Viral Diarrhea ( BVD ), IBR-Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis (Red Nose), and internal parasites can all contribute directly or indirectly to reproductive failure in the female.

Can a bull get pregnant?

For example, we have already shown how 95\% of cows being serviced by a bull can significantly influence the pregnancy rate in the herd….Reproduction by the Numbers.

What is animal fertility?

Infertility is a temporary disturbance in reproductive function wherein the animal cannot become pregnant. Normally an animal with a healthy reproductive function should calve every 12-14 months. Infertility causes economic losses to the farmers due to delay in maturity, calving and milk production.

How can you tell if a bull is fertile?

After the general exam, the veterinarian will measure the bull’s scrotal circumference. Bulls with larger scrotal circumferences are more fertile and have daughters that are more fertile and mature earlier. The vet will also collect a semen sample and determine the percentage of motile sperm and normal sperm.

Are all bulls fertile?

Breeding bulls can remain fertile with high quality semen for ten plus years. However, breeding bulls may exhibit infertility at any age. Low fertility can be caused by a number of factors including, frost damaged testicles, testicular infection, poor nutrition, physical injury and genetic predisposition.

Are bulls sterile?

There are many conditions that can effect the production and quality of semen produced from the testicles. Bulls with small testicles will at best produce small quantities of normal semen and at worst may be infertile due to hypoplasia of sperm producing cells (Fig 11).

Do bulls mate with the same cow twice?

All this is based on the shocking scientific discovery that a bull will never mate with the same cow twice. Once copulated with, goes the theory, a New Cow becomes an Old Cow, and a bull would rather end up on a bun at McDonald’s than touch her again.

Why do cows not get pregnant?

Lactating dairy cows are particularly susceptible to heat stress. Their bodies produce a lot of heat which, in combination with hot weather, can cause damage to oocytes and young embryos. Fertility can even be reduced as a result of heat stress that occurred several months before ovulation.

Do bulls only mate once with a cow?