Cost: Benefit of Bull Testing

As we head quickly towards joining season don’t forget about the value of annual bull fertility testing.

For $85 per bull, you get peace of mind that your team is ready to go – and potentially save yourself from losing tens of thousands in missed or late pregnancies.

Here’s why it matters:

• At a joining rate of 1/50 + 1 … One subfertile bull can risk 30-40 pregnancies in a season. That’s upwards of $30,000–$40,000 in lost weaner sales at say $1,000 each, plus the downstream impact on next season’s breeders. Obviously syndicate sire joining helps reduce this risk, but carrying sub fertile bulls puts more pressure on the remaining team and extends the calving period (and therefore weaner weight variation) - not to mention the hightened impact on cow pregnancy status if a dominant bull happens to be the sub-fertile one.

• On average in our area, when we test bulls, 10–30% show issues – whether it’s low semen quality, injury, or something treatable.

Testing = CHEAP INSURANCE

We recommend testing all bulls, every year, and doing it early, so there’s time to treat transient problems before sale season finishes and your replacement options reduce.

Testing = PROACTIVE TRICH MONITORING

With the sharp rise of the sexually transmitted infections vibrio and trichomoniasis in the district. Bull testing and preg testing and more critical than ever to diagnose problems early and reduce spread. This season we are encouraging proactive screening of a selection of aged bulls from all clients considered in at risk areas or trading models.

All bulls also need their annual Vibrovax booster pre-joining.

What else?

We don’t routinely need to test newly purchased bulls as long as they were sold with their recent fertility test: but don’t forget to insure new bulls within 1 month of sale to negate the need to repeat vet-check them.