Ram and Buck Breeding Soundness Examination

Male breeding soundness is crucial to herd or flock reproductive performance. This chapter discusses all the components of a male breeding soundness evaluation based on Society for Theriogenology guidelines. Physical soundness is described, with an emphasis on diseases and disorders that may affect reproductive performance or herd/flock health in general. Common abnormalities of the external genitalia are illustrated. Disease testing, particularly for brucellosis in rams, is described. Field techniques for semen collection and evaluation are detailed, along with a pictorial illustration of sperm morphological abnormalities. The chapter closes with the classification of rams into four categories—excellent, satisfactory, questionable, and unsatisfactory—based on physical examination, scrotal circumference, semen motility, sperm morphology, and B . ovis testing. The particularities of BSE in bucks are discussed.