One of the greatest threats to the health of a herd of cattle is the introduction of new animals that might bring a variety of infectious diseases with them. For this reason many herds aspire to being ‘closed’, and whether beef or dairy will use AI to breed their adult cows. But even in these ‘closed’ herds occasional bulls are purchased, often for use on heifer replacements. So, what is it reasonable to expect and ask when purchasing a new bull? What should bull purchasers be looking out for, and what information should a vendor provide?
The ideal situation is that the bull should be a certified disease-free and low risk animal. The way to achieve this is to purchase from a herd registered with a CHeCS (Cattle Health Certification Standards) approved health scheme and is accredited free of BVD, IBR and Lepto and Risk Level 1* status (the lowest risk possible) for Johne’s disease. Health certificates stating this should be made available and included with the passport
on sale – this is a good way to remind the buyer of the care and attention that has been put into the herd and of what is actually being purchased.
If a herd is selling non-accredited bulls, the minimum expectation should be that the bull is not a BVD carrier – so tested prior to sale to confirm that it is not persistently infected (PI) with BVD. It is likely that this will soon become mandatory – selling a BVD PI will be made illegal from the summer of 2027. Also a proactive Johne’s disease management plan should be in place. In addition, a record of vaccination history should be kept (consider Bluetongue, BVD, IBR and Lepto amongst others), along with the dates of administration, along with the results of any other testing carried out.
Campylobacter is another infectious agent that can have disastrous consequences for herd fertility if inadvertently introduced into a herd. This is a pathogen spread from bull to cow at serving – a true STD! Virgin bulls cannot be infected and are often highly sought after for this reason.
If a purchaser is interested in a bull that has worked before, you should have on record the reproductive performance of the cows that he has run with, and also consider whether sheath-washing him pre-sale might be a good investment, in order to have an answer ready if asked.
A buyer is justified in asking what parasite control treatment a bull has received as a youngster, and to request a pre purchase breeding soundness examination to confirm, as far as is possible, that he is fully fertile. Further records for the vendor to make available might include EBVs and pedigree certificates – again printed copies to include with the passport are a good idea. Remember that bulls are often required at short notice – so astute breeders will often have bulls TB and fertility tested so they are ‘ready-to-go’.
Written By – Keith Cutler, Veterinary Surgeon
