Breeding Soundness Exam for Bulls

A bull can look fine and still fail to get cows bred. The breeding soundness exam is the best way to find out before the season starts.

Key points

A BSE is a veterinary check of a bull's soundness and semen quality.
Test every bull before every season, including old ones.
Schedule early enough to replace or retest a bull.
Prepare safe facilities and a calm crew.
Keep records and keep watching bulls during the season.

What the exam is

A breeding soundness exam, often called a BSE, is a veterinary evaluation of a bull's ability to breed cows. It checks general health and soundness, the reproductive organs and a semen sample. The result classifies the bull for the season, and your veterinarian explains what it means.

It is a snapshot. It tells you about the bull on that day, not about his libido or how he will work with a group of cows.

Ask your vet exactly what the exam will include and how long results take, so you can plan around them.

Why it matters

A subfertile bull can leave a lot of cows open or push calving late. Because one bull may serve many cows, the cost of a problem is large. Testing before the season gives you time to replace or treat a bull and avoids finding out at pregnancy check.

The exam also catches injuries and structural problems that could affect his work.

Cull or replace bulls that fail rather than hoping they will improve, unless your vet advises retesting for a good reason.

When to schedule

Schedule it ahead of the season, with enough time for retesting or replacing a bull. Ask your vet when to do it for your calendar. Bulls that have been sick, injured or under heat stress may need to be tested again later.

Test all bulls, including young bulls, older bulls and those that passed last year. Fertility can change, and a hard winter or injury can matter.

If you buy a bull, ask for exam results at purchase, and plan a second exam before his first season on your ranch.

Preparing the bull and the facilities

A bull should be in reasonable condition, not overly fat or thin, and handled calmly. Good facilities make the exam faster and safer for everyone. Bulls are strong and can injure people.

Before the visit, prepare:

A sturdy chute and headgate that hold a bull safely
Good footing, lighting and shelter from weather
Clean, clear identification on each bull
A list of each bull's history, injuries and any treatments
Enough help to handle the bulls quietly

What the veterinarian looks at

The vet examines feet, legs, eyes and general condition, then the reproductive organs, including size and shape. A semen sample is examined for movement and form. Your vet may also discuss other parts of herd health.

Ask your veterinarian to explain what each part of the exam shows, and what the classification means for how you use the bull.

Ask your vet whether tests for infectious diseases that affect fertility make sense in your area, and how they should be done.

Using the results

If a bull passes, you can turn him out with confidence, but still watch him in the field. If he fails or is questionable, talk to your vet about retesting, treatment options or replacing him. Do not use a questionable bull on a large group without a plan.

Record the results by bull and by year. Over time, those records show you which bulls last and which do not.

Plan time to bring a replacement bull in and condition him, because a bull bought at the last minute may not be ready for work.

What the exam does not tell you, and common mistakes

The exam does not measure libido, mating ability or disease status unless the vet tests for it. Ask your vet about testing for diseases that matter in your area, and follow state rules on reportable diseases. Common mistakes are skipping the exam, testing too early, ignoring the results, testing only new bulls and not watching bulls after turnout. If a disease you must report is suspected, call your veterinarian, the state veterinarian or USDA APHIS right away.

Records of exams, treatments and injuries for each bull make it easier for your vet to give good advice year to year.

Make the exam part of your yearly calendar, written on the same page as the pregnancy check and the herd health visit.

When to get help: Your veterinarian performs and interprets the exam, advises on retesting and herd health, and can tell you what testing for infectious disease applies in your state.

Sources and further reading

Organization homepages are linked so you can search them for current guidance on this topic.

More in Breeding, Genetics & Reproduction

← Bull Selection for Ranch Herds Bull-to-Cow Ratios →