Breeding soundness examination: Understanding the causes of examination failure in young and mature Rams

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine the causes of breeding soundness failure in rams using a
breeding soundness examination and a scrotal circumference (SC) measurement. The experiment was
performed with the breeding soundness examination records and SC measurements of 1.002 rams
classified as young (18 months) and mature (more than 18 months). The breeding soundness examination
parameters were analyzed using Chi-square tests, Pearson’s correlation coefficients and principal
component analysis. Scrotal circumference was submitted to analysis of variance, and the means were
compared using a Tukey test at a 5% probability level. Some rams were eliminated from the breeding
soundness examination, independent of age and breed, and an interaction between age and breed was
detected. There were significant correlations of body condition score with teeth and leg problems and of
mass movement, motility, and vigor with epididymis problems. Among the main causes of failure, 28.6%
were related to problems with the penis, epididymis, testicles, mass movement, motility and vigor. The
highest SC was found in Poll Dorset rams. The reproductive examination indicated that the rates of ram
failure were variable and dependent on the age and breed of the animals examined.