J. Anim Sci.
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Sosa, J. M.
Right arrow Articles by Reeves, J. J.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Sosa, J. M.
Right arrow Articles by Reeves, J. J.

Journal of Animal Science, Vol 80, Issue 1 19-22, Copyright © 2002 by American Society of Animal Science

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Evaluation of American Wagyu sires for scrotal circumference by age and body weight

J. M. Sosa, P. L. Senger and J. J. Reeves
Department of Animal Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman 99164-6353, USA.

Thirty-six percent of American Wagyu bulls do not meet the current minimum standards set by the Society of Theriogenology for the breeding soundness exam. In contrast, only 15% of bulls of domestic breeds do not meet the minimum standards. Scrotal circumference measurements of Wagyu are smaller than those of other breeds. The objective of this research was to describe scrotal circumference of Wagyu bulls as it relates to age and BW. The data set consisted of 190 Wagyu bulls housed at two locations. One hundred forty-one bulls constituted the first set of data (location 1); scrotal circumference was measured one to six times per bull aged between 13 and 70 mo. Ninety-four of the bulls underwent semen evaluation for motility and morphology. Forty-nine bulls constituted the data set for which scrotal circumference and BW was measured one to nine times per bull between 5 and 21 mo of age (location 2). Mean scrotal circumference of bulls within each age group was as follows: 12 to 14 mo, 29.8 0.2 cm (mean +/- SE); 15 to 17 mo, 31.8 +/- 0.2 cm; 18 to 20 mo, 32.9 +/- 0.3 cm; 21 to 24 mo, 31.8 +/- 0.5 cm; and > 24 mo, 35.5 +/- 0.2 cm. Both age and BW were highly correlated to scrotal circumference (r = 0.81 and 0.82, respectively). Within each age group, there were a percentage of bulls that did not meet the minimum standard for scrotal circumference set by the Society of Theriogenology. The percentages were as follows: 12 to 14 mo, 46%; 15 to 17 mo, 25%; 18 to 20 mo, 33%; 21 to 24 mo, 42%; and > 24 mo, 32%. Morphology and motility were > 50% each in 91% of the bulls between ages 12 and 20 mo at location 1. Based on these data, it is recommended that Wagyu bulls be evaluated with the breed-specific minimum standards for scrotal circumference of 26 cm from 12 to 14 mo, 29 cm from 15 to 17 mo, and 30 cm from 18 to 20 mo of age.


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 J ANIM SCIHome page
E. Casas, D. D. Lunstra, L. V. Cundiff, and J. J. Ford
Growth and pubertal development of F1 bulls from Hereford, Angus, Norwegian Red, Swedish Red and White, Friesian, and Wagyu sires
J Anim Sci, November 1, 2007; 85(11): 2904 - 2909.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 2002 by the American Society of Animal Science.