Some animals were less than cooperative when farmers from around Oglethorpe County loaded their herd bulls in the crisp morning air late last month.
The process was quite a feat for many, but they said the trek was worth it for valuable information about their bulls’ fertility.
The Oglethorpe County Extension Office has organized yearly breeding soundness exams (BSEs) at the Northeast Georgia Livestock haul-in facility in Rayle since 2022 in preparation for breeding season. For $30, farmers in Oglethorpe County and surrounding areas can bring their bulls to ensure they are fit for breeding each year.
Hosting these exams at the haul-in facility provides savings and resources for small farmers. The facility has both a scale and a sturdy chute to hold the cattle during examination and is less costly than a veterinarian visiting their farm.
Finding bulls that aren’t able to breed gives farmers a chance to sell them. With cattle prices high and rising, Oglethorpe County Extension agent Shanna Reynolds said this is crucial information for farmers.
“This year, it’s probably more important than ever because some of these guys are expecting to get $2,000 a head for their calves,” Reynolds said. “So if just one cow doesn’t get bred because their bull was subfertile, that’s a big difference in a potential profit for the year.”
Reynolds said the price of beef cattle has been steadily increasing since 2020 because of drought, input costs and other factors.
At the haul-in facility, a small team cycled through the 13 bulls brought in from around the county. Along with Reynolds, Dr. Thomas McNair and Cynthia Altman from Wilkes County Veterinary Services and agents from surrounding counties were at the facility to provide assistance.
More farmers were interested in getting their bulls examined by the veterinarian this year, Altman said.
“We’ve had a lot more checking their cows, their pregnancies, their bulls,” she said. “Just because now is the time, if you need to sell.”
Along with a semen evaluation, McNair and Altman provided general wellness exams and vaccinations. McNair and Wilkes County Veterinary Services have been assisting with the exams since 2022. Altman said they also visit farms to conduct BSEs.
Reynolds said she hopes providing this opportunity will encourage more farmers to get their bulls tested each year.
“A lot of people feel like if he bred cows last year, if they got pregnant last year, they’ll be fine this year,” Reynolds said, “but we know that there’s a lot of unexplained infertility in bulls.”