92 Bulls Evaluated at Three BSE Clinics Have Second Highest Pass Rate in History of Program
Contact: Eldon Cole, livestock specialist
Tel: (417) 466-3102
E-mail: colee@missouri.edu
During the three Bull Soundness Exam (BSE) clinics at Miller, Aurora and Cassville, there were 27 different owners that brought in 92 bulls ranging in age from 11 months to 9 years (average 2.9 years) for evaluation.
Over 93 percent of the bulls were designated as satisfactory, potential breeders. This was the second highest pass rate since we started the program in 2005. The overall average since 2005 on 1,483 collections now stands at 89.6 percent.
The body condition score on this year’s bulls averaged 6.1 (range 4 to 7.5). Each bull was scored on structural soundness with a scale from 1 to 9. The average was 5.5 (range 3 to 7). A 1 is very poor structure with a 9 being perfect.
The average scrotal circumference was 39.5 centimeters (range 33 to 49).
The deferred bulls this spring all had normal sperm levels below 70 percent which is an automatic no. Here are a few relative minor problems noted but none were serious enough to fail a bull.
• 7 had long toes – two were trimmed
• 5 had pinkeye scars in one or both eyes. Their vision did not appear to be impaired
• 1 had an ugly ear abscess
• 1 had prepuce scarring
• 1 had an old penis laceration
• 1 had a penile wart
• 1 had an old sheath injury
A total of six bulls were trichomoniasis tested.
“Over the course of the program I’ve tried to monitor the breed makeup of the bulls. Angus numbers peaked in 2009 at 71.9 percent. This spring they represented 30.8 percent of the bulls,” said Eldon Cole, livestock specialist for University of Missouri Extension.
The second most popular breed was Hereford and Polled Hereford, next came Gelbvieh, Balancer and SimAngus. Others followed in this order: Red Angus, Charolais x Red Angus, Lim Flex, Charolais, Limousin, Beefmaster, Senegus and Simmental.
“Thanks to the three veterinarians, their staffs, Ed Trotter, Kevin Milliner, Zoetis for helping pull off another successful BSE set of clinics. Hopefully, this effort and the publicity around it will prompt more cow herd owners to get their bulls checked before turnout time,” said Cole.
For more information, contact any of the MU Extension livestock specialists in southwest Missouri: Eldon Cole in Mt. Vernon, (417) 466-3102, Andy McCorkill in Dallas County at (417) 345-7551, Dona Goede in Cedar County, (417) 276-3313 or Logan Wallace in Howell County at (417) 256-2391.
Tel: (417) 466-3102
E-mail: colee@missouri.edu
During the three Bull Soundness Exam (BSE) clinics at Miller, Aurora and Cassville, there were 27 different owners that brought in 92 bulls ranging in age from 11 months to 9 years (average 2.9 years) for evaluation.
Over 93 percent of the bulls were designated as satisfactory, potential breeders. This was the second highest pass rate since we started the program in 2005. The overall average since 2005 on 1,483 collections now stands at 89.6 percent.
The body condition score on this year’s bulls averaged 6.1 (range 4 to 7.5). Each bull was scored on structural soundness with a scale from 1 to 9. The average was 5.5 (range 3 to 7). A 1 is very poor structure with a 9 being perfect.
The average scrotal circumference was 39.5 centimeters (range 33 to 49).
The deferred bulls this spring all had normal sperm levels below 70 percent which is an automatic no. Here are a few relative minor problems noted but none were serious enough to fail a bull.
• 7 had long toes – two were trimmed
• 5 had pinkeye scars in one or both eyes. Their vision did not appear to be impaired
• 1 had an ugly ear abscess
• 1 had prepuce scarring
• 1 had an old penis laceration
• 1 had a penile wart
• 1 had an old sheath injury
A total of six bulls were trichomoniasis tested.
“Over the course of the program I’ve tried to monitor the breed makeup of the bulls. Angus numbers peaked in 2009 at 71.9 percent. This spring they represented 30.8 percent of the bulls,” said Eldon Cole, livestock specialist for University of Missouri Extension.
The second most popular breed was Hereford and Polled Hereford, next came Gelbvieh, Balancer and SimAngus. Others followed in this order: Red Angus, Charolais x Red Angus, Lim Flex, Charolais, Limousin, Beefmaster, Senegus and Simmental.
“Thanks to the three veterinarians, their staffs, Ed Trotter, Kevin Milliner, Zoetis for helping pull off another successful BSE set of clinics. Hopefully, this effort and the publicity around it will prompt more cow herd owners to get their bulls checked before turnout time,” said Cole.
For more information, contact any of the MU Extension livestock specialists in southwest Missouri: Eldon Cole in Mt. Vernon, (417) 466-3102, Andy McCorkill in Dallas County at (417) 345-7551, Dona Goede in Cedar County, (417) 276-3313 or Logan Wallace in Howell County at (417) 256-2391.
posted by David L. Burton at 3/28/2013 09:14:00 PM
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