Reduce the risk of introducing sub-fertile bulls to your herd by using Totally Vets' fertility testing service for dairy and beef bulls.
Semen is collected via an artificial vagina while the bull mounts a teaser heifer or cow. This not only allows us to collect a reliable semen sample (compared to using an electro-ejaculator), but also to visualise the bull's penis in the erected state, his libido and ability to mount.
All you need to provide are yards with good footing and with strong rails to attach the teaser bale, a race, a quiet non-pregnant heifer/cow (similar size to the bulls being tested), and two people to help.
It is prudent to remember the importance of testing bulls for Bovine Virus Diarrhoea (BVD). The introduction of a persistently infected (PI) bull with BVD virus to a herd of cows risks infertility, embryonic loss and perpetuation of infection within the herd. Testing of all bulls well before sales ensures that only non-PI bulls are sold, and also acts as a surveillance test on the farm. Other samples can be collected for testing at the same time if required, e.g. Enzootic Bovine Leucosis and Tritrichomonas.
There are things that you need to do prior to the day of collection, so if you wish to stop firing blanks, call Guy Haynes (vet tech), Barny Askin or Hamish Pike on 06 323 6161.
