Bull Sperm Abnormalities in Practice

Abstract

In this chapter we discuss spermatozoal abnormalities which are associated with reduced bull fertility in practice as assessed by published case studies or research experiments. Each abnormality follows the standardized form found in Chap. 9 . An initial summary of the abnormality is given including the suggested tolerated threshold for the abnormality in an ejaculate. This is followed by detail of research into the abnormality and its associated affect upon fertility in the bull. Images of the abnormalities are presented and the reader is further directed to photomicrographs of Chap. 4 where appropriate.

Keywords: Abaxial tails; Abnormal DNA condensation; Azoospermia; Coiled principal piece; Corkscrew defect; Dag defect; Decapitated sperm; Detached heads; Distal reflex midpiece; Knobbed acrosomes; Microcephalic heads macrocephalic heads; Multinuclear-multiflagellar; Nuclear vacuoles; Oligospermia; Pale centres; Proximal droplets; Pseudodroplet; Pyriform heads; Rolled nuclear crest; Ruffled plasmalemma and acrosome; Segmental aplasia; Short tail defect; Sperm accumulation.