Research and news
Bull fertility research, practical advice for vets and producers, and news from the lab.
Abnormal Morphology of Bovine Spermatozoa (Second Edition)
Dr Perry has co-authored the second edition of the seminal text, alongside original authors Emeritus Professors Barth and Oko and andrologists Peter Sutovsky and Lauren Hamilton.
Pioneering Bull Fertility Research Leads to New Technology Investment at QSML
QSML now offers advanced epifluorescent analysis using a newly acquired NiU microscope with FITC-PNA labelling, starting with acrosome integrity in frozen-thawed semen.
Assessing Thawed Semen Straws
Dr Viv Perry presented a session on the gold standard sperm assessment from frozen thawed straws at the AVA annual conference.
Improving Herd Productivity: A Quick Snapshot
High fertility is key to the financial success of any breeding operation, and diet in early pregnancy plays a bigger part than many producers realise.
Can Protein Supplementation of First-Calf Heifers Positively Affect Their Progeny?
Two papers in Theriogenology show the importance of protein supplementation of first-calf heifers to the growth, carcass traits and reproductive development of their bull progeny.
Bovine Sperm Morphology Is Affected by Breed, Age, Season and Region, With the Greatest Effect Being Breed
Four years and 11,387 bulls later, QSML has published a study in Theriogenology on how breed, age, season and region affect bovine sperm.
Will My Buffered Formal Saline Vials Stay With Me Forever?
Buying vials in bulk is smart, but poorly stored or expired formal saline can damage samples. Here's how to store them and how long they last.
Is Crush Side Sperm Testing Enough?
We're often asked whether crush side testing of bull sperm alone is sufficient. Here's what each test does, and why morphology matters.
Sperm Morphology: Research Update for Cattle Vets
Dr Viv Perry addressed the International Bull Fertility Conference in Ireland and the AVA Annual Conference in Brisbane. Here are the key research areas she covered.
Is Cottonseed Affecting Your Bull's Fertility, or Not?
Gossypol in cottonseed has been linked to poor sperm quality, but Dr Perry's research found no effect when bulls get enough minerals in their feed or water.
One Big Reason to Supplementary Feed During the Breeding Season
Bulls whose mothers were supplemented in the first trimester passed their BBSE at an earlier age, upwards of a month earlier.
4 Reasons You Should Be Testing Your Bull's Semen
If you're not testing your bulls' semen, or you're buying untested bulls, it might be costing you more than you realise.
Does a High Energy Diet Reduce Sperm Quality in Bulls?
The short answer is yes. A single bout of subclinical rumen acidosis can reduce sperm morphology for up to 90 days.