NECK VEIN OR CREST ON NECK
   The crest is a masculine feature that increases in size as the bull matures. However for the young prospective herd bull prospect he must have a heavy crest started at 12-14 months of age and a short neck. The bull that does not have a nice crest started at 12 months in most cases will have a small scrotal and will be a low fertility bull. He most often will not become the kind of herd bull needed for great progeny. If a bull develops a fertility problem (reduction in testosterone & semen production) the crest will began a gradual decrease in size. You will notice other features changing at the same time.

THE TAIL OF THE BULL
   The tail of the fertile bull will be very coarse from top end of tail down. The hair will be coarse and thin like the head and neck hair. The switch will be coarse and dark like the prepuce hair.

THE SCROTAL OF THE BULL
   The function of the scrotum is to cover, support and protect the testicles and to maintain the lower than abdominal temperature. Internally the scrotum contains the Datoris Muscle, which is a sheet of muscle elasticity necessary to maintain the proper temperature of 98.6 degrees. The scrotum sack should look like buckskin leather and dark in color not white. Only very thin silky hair should be tolerated on the scrotum. Any hair more than mentioned denotes infertility. When an impediment occurs to reduce the fertility, the hair covering on the scrotum will began to change. The hair can become thick and long or in some cases the hair will cover the scrotal the same as the regular hair covering the hide. The hair will become much more dense and will lengthen to two – three inches in length. The increase in hair will increase the temperature in the scrotum above the 98.6 degrees.

< Long silky scrotal hair.

 The requirements for the scrotal in the yearling bull should be 38 to 40 centimeters and with a length of 6 to 7 with no tolerance. Larger than 40 and smaller than 38 are both in the extreme and should not be tolerated.

 
TESTICLES
   The primary function of the testicles is to produce normal, mature sperm cells in sufficient quantity to insure conception in the female. They also produce the male hormone testosterone, which is responsible for the sex drive or libido in the male and is needed to maintain the functional ability of the reproductive system. It is mandatory that both testicles are exactly the same size, shape, length and tone (degree of firmness) with a well-developed epididymis at the bottom of the testicles. The epididymis should be the same firmness as the testicles. It is of utmost importance that these three factors be exactly as presented. The size and shape of the testicles of the bull at a specific age is also of utmost importance. See chart listed. The acceptance of any tolerance below the optional will result in a lower pregnancy rate. The two testicles must have the shape of a football (no tolerance). 

<  Left Epididymis Collapsed

TESTICLE SHAPE
   There are many shapes and forms of testicles that appear to be near normal. Upon examination with the use of measuring and visual appraisal with testicle in hands you can see the malformation or degeneration. Any shape tolerated other than normal should be treated as any other bodily or structural defect and should not be used. The tolerance of these kinds of defects will be passed on to the progeny that is produced and will become problems to be over come in future generations.

< Perfect Formed Scrotal

TESTICLE LENGTH
   The length of the testicle is as important as the circumference. A smaller than optional scrotal circumference and shorter than optional length will give a higher amount of abnormal and defective sperm cells. This bull should never be tolerated. He should be placed in a less than optional category for breeding.  

PICTURES
  The pictures are the findings of 35 years of research by James Drayson. A total of fifteen thousand bulls in the various research projects were regularly measured.

  The pictures are the many shapes with definition and defects that are present in our bulls today and cause some of the low fertility problems in bulls and are passed on to the sons and daughters and should not be tolerated.

We give thanks to Gearld Fry from Bovine Engineering & Consultants for this article.