Figure 1. Testicles, when palpated, should move freely in the scrotum.

Examination of rams for breeding

Examination of each ram should be carried out and the findings should be recorded. The Sheep Vet Society (SVS) provides a useful template ‘Pre-breeding examination on farm data collection form’ (SVS...

Livestock Workshops: bull fertility testing

All measures should be taken to ensure that the sample seen down the microscope is a representative biopsy of what would be ejaculated during natural service. Cold shock is the most common and...

Impact of bovine herpesvirus-1 infection on fertility in dairy cattle

Primary infection with BoHV-1 results in local dissemination as the virus spreads from cell to cell across the mucosal surface, either in the respiratory or reproductive tract mucosa. It has proved...

Figure 1. Elongating bovine conceptuses recovered from the same uterus at slaughter on day 14 following transfer of day 7 in vitro produced blastocysts. Note the variation in conceptus length. Multiple embryo transfer studies allow repeated measures of the ability of the uterine environment to support conceptus development and highlight that there is an intrinsic oocyte/embryo component to elongation, as reflected in the variation in conceptus size from the same uterus.

The importance of progesterone in pregnancy establishment in cattle

High P4 concentrations during the growth of the ovulatory follicle are associated with improved oocyte quality and pregnancy outcomes (Pursley and Martins, 2012; Wiltbank et al, 2014; Bisinotto et al,...

Figure 1. Red clover (Trifolium pratense), a perennial legume, that will last 3–5 years. It is higher in protein content and has greater nitrogen fixing capacity than white clover seen below in Figure 2.

Impact of phyto-oestrogens on reproductive health of sheep

Phyto-oestrogens are all non-steroidal compounds that can bind to oestrogen receptors. The compounds found in plants of agricultural and veterinary importance include isoflavones and coumestans. The...

Figure 1. Increased capacity for milk yield has a negative impact on reproductive success.

Milk production, fertility and the modern dairy cow

Energy balance describes the ability of the cow to meet the energy demands required to maintain her physiological status. Energy balance is reliant on the amount of energy she can draw from what she...