Well, here we are. I’ve been promising a lot of you that I’d start sharing some details of what we’ve been getting up to, and ten weeks in seems as good a time as any to start. Here is the first of what I aim to make a monthly habit.

It has been a real mixed bag since the start of March. Full house on the bingo card, including pregnancy scanning, C-sections, prolapses, blood sampling for CHECS-accredited herds, and even a farrowing. A very special thank you to the person who saved up their large dehorns for me.

I’ve also been out pre-movement TB testing some cracking pedigree cattle ahead of sale and booking in whole-herd tests now that we have our ministry contract.

This month, though, the main thing I’ll be talking about is bull fertility testing — mostly because we have a shiny new toy. The photo attached to this post is me modelling the rectal probe for the Pulsator V electroejaculator. For the uninitiated, this is the latest model from a company called Lane Manufacturing in Colorado. They make the gold-standard bull testing kit, so it was well worth the wait for a shipment from the States.

Having been for a couple of test drives on farms, the consistent feedback from clients — and from myself — is a noticeable improvement in bull response and collection success compared to the older kit they were selling a few years ago. Basically, we’re getting better-quality samples more quickly, and the bulls are less stressed.

The probe is smaller, so there’s a lot less hassle inserting it. The position of the electrodes has also changed, which means they deliver a smoother and better-targeted signal to the bull. There are now several breed-specific pre-programmed settings, which I’ve been very impressed with.

Pre-breeding, I would typically advise that the ideal time to test is at least 4–6 weeks before the start of service. This gives an opportunity to sort out a Plan B if there are any issues. A lot of spring block calvers have already started serving, but it isn’t unusual for me to check a bull during the breeding period if they aren’t seen working or if a concerning number of cows are still bulling a couple of cycles in.

I’m currently undecided on a subject for next month, so let me know if there are any topics you’d like covered. Expect some nuggets from the Royal Cornwall Show, as we’ll be up there providing the official vet cover.

Registered clients, check your inboxes, as I’ll be sending out The Monthly Routine in a bit more detail by email, including some information that won’t be on here. Any queries, give the practice a call or contact me directly at zack@towanvets.co.uk.

All the best,
Zack