The North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service has scheduled the 3rd annual breeding soundness exams on herd sires for January 15, 2011 at Shelby Livestock Yard. All local beef cattle producers are encouraged to have their bulls fertility tested before the beginning of breeding season to ensure high reproductive rates in their cow-calf operations.
Breeding soundness exams include a complete physical examination of bulls along with semen testing for motility and morphology. The purpose of these exams is to identify sires that are infertile or subfertile before money is lost due to poor pregnancy rates in the cow herd.
Each year there are stories of local cattlemen that lose potential income due to bulls that are not fertile.
Most cattlemen do not become aware of the problem until a subsequent calving season results in few or no calves being born. At this point these cattlemen realize they have fed herds for at least 9 months while waiting on calves that will not materialize. The only options at that point are to feed the same cowherd for another 9 months with no income or market the entire herd and replace with bred females.
Both are costly decisions.
The BSE will be conducted by Dr. Bert Parker of SouthRidge Veterinary Hospital in Kannapolis. Bulls will be accepted on Saturday, January 15 from 9 AM until 11:00 AM at Shelby Livestock Yard. Costs for the examinations will be $55 per bull with a prorated share of the $85 trip charge (to be assessed on a per bull basis).
Participants are asked to pre-register by calling Jeff Carpenter at the Catawba County Extension Center at (828) 465-8240. In case of inclement weather the event will be rescheduled.