Friday, February 2, 2024 -- 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Raising the Bar with the Complete Breeding Soundness Evaluation to Increase Profitability

Sponsored By Zoetis

Bull fertility is a key component to success and profitability of both seedstock and commercial operations. Fertility is five times more valuable than production traits such as beef merit or average daily gain in a beef cow-calf herd. The United States Department of Agriculture’s National Agriculture Statistics Services July 2021 report indicates that there are an estimated 2.1 million beef bulls in the United States and that 90.7% of commercial beef cows are naturally serviced by bulls. The breeding soundness exam has evolved much since the mid-1950s. The advancement of technology and discovery through evidenced based medicine has allowed this exam to progress. Investing in routine breeding soundness examinations is the best way to assess breeding potential in bulls and improve chances for breeding success, with a potential benefit-to-cost ratio of approximately $7 return for every $1 spent on the breeding soundness exam. This exam looks not at only the ability for the bull to produce sperm that can result in pregnancy but also can be key in detecting certain disease processes. BSEs are not only important for mature sires but also young bulls as well to identify issues that could have occurred during development of herd sires which can later deprive producers of profitability.

This session will feature Chance Armstrong, DVM, Auburn University.