THERIOGENOLOGY PREPARATION OF TEASER BULLS AND STEROID-INPLANTED STEERS AND THEIR EFFECTIVENESS IN DETECTING ESTRUS T. J. McDonald!, R. H. Foote!, Maarten Drost?, L. Lu!, M. Patraseu! apd C. E. Hall, Jr.? Department of Aniyal Sciencel’, N.Y. State College of Veterinary Medicine?’ , Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y. 14853 Received for publication: May 24, 1976 ABSTRACT Pen-0-Blocks were easily installed in 15 bulls. Libido appeared to be unaffected. However, with the exception of one bull, infections occurred, or the penis bypassed the block, or the pin broke, and in 14 tests the Pen-O-Blocks were removed within 5 weeks of installation. Recovery from infection following removal of the device was rapid and uneventful. Eight bulls had their penes deviated between 2 weeks and 4 months of age. Four of these also were castrated and implanted with andro- gens at 12 months of age. Semen quality and libido in the deviated bulis were normal. Bulls and steers were equipped with Chin Ball mating devices. Bulls generally were more effective than steers in detecting estrus. When placed in pens 24 hours per day with 20 heifers each, one bull detected 97% and another bull detected 100% of the potential estruses during a period of two months. An observer watching for .5 hours each morning and each late afternoon detected 74%. While steers were less effective, they were more docile than the bulls. Thus, with selection of active animals and adjustment of hor- mone therapy, implanted steers may be successful detectors of estrus with minimal danger to the ownér. Reproductive development in the androgen-treated steers was delayed but maturation of the penis had occurred in steers slaughtered at 31 months of age. Body weight gains of steers tended to be accelerated during periods when they had implants. INTRODUCTION Failure to detect estrus has been a major deterrent to utilizing superior sires for artificial insemination of dairy heifers and beef cattle especially. Visual observation can be an excellent means of estrus detection. However, it is time consuming, requires skill, and many cattlemen have been unable or unwilling to introduce practices ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Partial support by Eastern A.J. Coop. and technical assistance by David King are gratefully acknowledged. JULY 1976 VOL. 6 NO. I 51THERIOGENOLOGY necessary to have a good visual observation system. Alternate methods of heat detection have been devised which provide aids with actual savings of time and money to the cattlemen (1). These methods include the traditional vasectony and newer methods of surgical alteration of a bull so that he cannot make sexual contact. The latter prevents transfer of either semen or venercal discase. Such males, equipped with a marking device, can identify females in heat. Several methods of surgical preparation which have been described are penectomy (2,3), adhesion of the penis to the abdominal wall (4,5), closure of the preputial orifice around a cannula (6) and surgical deviation of the penis (7,8,9). Possible disadvantages of these methods are that some hay reduce libido of the bull over a period of time, the operations are not reversible and advance planning and recovery time are neces- sary. Also, a surgically altered bull is as dangerous to keep as a normal bull. The object of the present rescarch was to compare three methods of preparing animals used for detecting and marking cows in heat, and to study the behavior of these detector animals under these conditions. MATERIALS AND METHODS Bulls were prepared as teaser animals by: 1) surgical deviation of the penis; 2) surgical deviation of the penis end castration plus hormone treatment; 3) installation of the "Pen-O-Block". These methods were compared in terms of ease of the operation or installa- tion and post-operative complications. The goal of the second method was to provide an animal with good libido that would be more docile than a bull, The third method was employed as a means of preparing teaser animals for immediate use. After healing, the animals were tested for libido and heat checking ability. Semen quality also was examined in the bulls with deviated penes. Installation of the Pen-O-Block. Fifteen installations were made at different timcs in eight bulls of varying breeds and ages (predominately young Holsteins). The animals were restrained in a portable squeeze chute with reaovable lower panels. The back legs were tied to keep the animal from kicking forward. One exception was a 4-year old Holstein waich had the device installed while in a hori- zontal position on a hydraulic operating table. Installation followed the procedure recommended by the manwfacturer (L.C, Schacht, Tallahassee, Florida). The long hairs on the sheath were trimmed. The area where the incision was to. be made was clipped. The sheath was washed with Betadine soap and sanitized with 70% alcohol. The Pen-O-Block parts were soaked in aqueous Zephiran. The flanged plastic tube was coated with surgical jelly and inserted flanged end first into the prepuce. The distal end of the tube wes placed approximately three inches fran the external preputial orifice. The holes in the tube were located through the sheath and procaine was injected subcutaneously around the incision site. In the first installations a hollow metal retaining pin was used which slipped cver a trocar. The skin was incised and the tror car inserted and passed through one wall of the sheath and the holes in the plastic tube. The trocar was pushed tightly against the other 52 JULY 1976 VOL. 6 NO. 1THERIOGENOLOGY side of the sheath and an incision made over it to allow passage of the trocar and cannula through to the other side. The trocar was removed and the locking pieces attached. After a few insertions we abandoned the use of the trocar as it seemed to cause excessive tissue damage. Installion was easy without it. Also, most of the later installions were made with a new all-plastic model. The time required for the whole procedure with either model was about 20 minutes. The bull was maintained on a broad spectrum antibiotic for three days after installion. Pen-0-Block libido test. A summer and a winter test were planned for the Pen-O-Block bulls. ‘The summer test included bulls divided into two groups. Four bulls were put on a high intensity mounting program, given the opportunity to mount a teaser animal 25 times within 30 nin- utes. The other four bulls were put on low intensity mounting, allowed to mount a teaser animal five times in a maximum time of 5 minutes. The test was conducted twice a day six days per week for two weeks. At the end of this pericd it was planned to reverse the groups, but complications arose. The teaser to be mounted was in a stanchion in a pen with good footing and a bull was turned in without a lead. Teasers usually were cows from the herd that were showing standing estrus. When no cows in estrus were available, a teaser bull was used. The second test was run in early winter and consisted of instal- ling the Pen-O-Block devices in six bulls and noting any complications with minimal sexual activity. One additional bull with the Pen-O- Block in place from the sumner installation was also available, No nounting test was performed by these animals to avoid possible irrita- tion from this source. Surgical relocation of the penis and prepuce in deviated bulls. Eight Holstein bull calves ranging in age from 2 weeks to 4 months and in weight from 65 to 150 kg were used. Feed and water were with- held for 24 to 48 hours prior to surgery to minimize abdominal dis- tension as well as regurgitatio: Restraint and analgesia were effected by intramuscular injection of Xylazine (Rompun ~ Chenagro, Division of Baychen. Corp., Kansas City, Mo., 64120) at a dosage rate of 25 mg/100 kg of body weight. The bull was then placed in a supine position in a trough and the skin of the ventral abdomen was prepared for surgery. Two skin incisions were made from the base of the scro- tum, 4 cm lateral and parallel to the right and left of the midline, similar to the method described by Weissenburg and Cohen (7). The incisions extended cranially, encircled the prepuce and met on the midline 4 cm anterior to the preputial opening. A third incision was made from the point of origin of either one of the initial incisions near the base of the scrotum in a dorso-lateral direction at an angle 50° to the midline. The skin strip, including the prepuce, the penis and the subcutaneous tissues, were freed by blunt dissection, and lifted away from the abdominal wall. Next the parallel edges of the initial incisions were approximated with tewel forceps. which resulted in a gaping of the diagonal incision. This gap was then ready to JULY 1976 VOL. 6 NO.1 53THERIOGENOLOGY receive the isolated penis and its cutaneous adnexa, A teardrop-shaped piece of skin, 7 cm in width, was renoved at the preputial orifice. The skin strip was then sutured into its new position with interrupted horizontal mattress sutures using #3 chromic catgut. Care was taken to include the abdominal tunic at frequent intervals to prevent pocket formation, The midline incision was closed in a similar fashion. The incision lines were covered, with Furazolidone, aerosol wound dress- ing (Topazone - Eaton Laboratories, Norwich, N.Y., 13815). Post= operatively, the bulls were maintained on broad spectrum system anti- biotic therapy for 5 days. Four of the bulls also were castrated. A routine bilateral or- chidectomy was performed with the aid of an emasculator. Considerable edema of the distal end of the prepuce developed in all calves by the second post-operative day. In all but one case the edema had subsided spontaneously by the Sth or 6th day after surgery. (One aninal was drained). Healing of the incision lines was by first intention. Semen quality. Semen collection was started when the bulls were about one year Of age. The bulls were ejaculated twice per week from July 1973 to September 1973. A conventional rubber artificial vagina was used for semen collection and cycling heifers kere used as teasers, One ejaculate was collected following two false mounts in- cluded in a period of restraint teasing for exactly 5 minutes, The senen was tested for quality and the seninal plasma was assayed for fructose content. Silastic implants. When the steers with deviated penes were one year OF age, they were each given four 16 cm. Silastic implants con- taining an average of .7 g testosterone per impiant, The implants were inserted subcutaneously in the dorsal neck region. Three months jater the steers were given four additional 13 cm. implants contain- ing an average of .6 g. of androstenedione per implant. When these animals were approximately 1.5 years of age, all implants were removed. Each steer then received four 13 cm. implants containing .57 g. of testosterone cach (2.28 g. total) and one 10 cm implant containing 0.40 g. of estradiol. All implants were prepared fron polydimethylsiloxane tubing (Silastic) manufactured by Gow Corning, Cat. No. 601-335, dimensions 0.132" I.D. x 0.183" 0.D. Estrus detection tests with deviated bulls and steers. Four estrus detection tests were run. In Test I, four deviated bulls were equipped with Chin Ball Mating Devices with different color inks. The bulls were then turned out with a herd of 60 cows for one hour each morning and one hour each evening and observed for 21 days. ‘Tie herd was split in half and 2 bulls were put with cach half. In Tests II and I1J, two deviated bulls and two deviated implanted Steers were equipped with Chin Ball Mating Devices with different color inks and put on estrus detection trials. The two tests were 54 JULY 1976 VOL. 6 NO. 1THERIOGENOLOGY run in the same manner for 21 days each, ‘The teasers were turned out four hours per day (9 am to 1 pm) with approximately 40 heifers, They were observed the first hour for mounting behavior, and the heifers were checked for new Chin Ball markings when they were brought into the stanchion barn, The fourth test utilized two deviated bulls, each placed with 20 heifers in a loose housing situation for 24 hours a day for two months. The bulls were cquipped with Chin Ball Mating Devices. The bulls and heifers were spot checked frequently during the work day for mounting behavior and dye markings. Growth. The deviated bulls and steers were kept on the same diet: pasture in summer, corn silage and hay in winter, with regular concen- trate feeding during the first year. Body weights were taken at reg- ular intervals. At slaughter a record of the dressed weights was kept and the reproductive tracts were recovered and measured. RESULTS Pen-0-Block bulls. No detectable difference was found between the metal-plastic and all-plastic devices, so the results were combined. Of the first eight bulls to have the Pen-O-Block installed, seven were able to keep it in place an average of 17 days (range 4-26 days) after installation before complications forced renoval (Table I). TABLE I Period of Time Pen-0-Blocks Were Maintained Without Complications Approximate Days Pen-O-Block Bull Breed age in years was in place test 2/ test IT 74 Holstein 1S 15, 27 75 Jersey 2 26 - 81 Holstein cross 4 24 18 82 Holstein 1 20 23 85 -Holstein 1 12 22 86 Holstein 1 2 35 88 Holstein 1S > 18 90 Holstein 2 7 months ——> 91 Holstein 4 - Average 7 24 af = Test I was in the summer with mounting permitted and Test II was in the winter with mounting prevented. The cighth bull had the all-plastic Pen-O-Block in place for seven months with oniy minor complications before the device was removed and the experiment terminated. The most cenmon complications were infections and swelling of the prepuce, which caused one or voth JULY 1976 VOL. 6N 1 55THERIOGENOLOGY of the lockwaskers to pull through the incision to the inside of the sheath. Two bulls were able to protrude the penis in spite of the presence of the Pen-O-Block. In one of these bulls, the lockwasher holding the Pen-0-Slock in place broke when the bull protruded its penis. The device presumably woulé eventually have fallen out and was removed manually. Once swelling had set in, removal of the device became difficult. The retainiag pin and washers had to be cut. Gain- ing access to these was painful for the bull. Once the device. was removed, the swelling decreased dranatically in a few hours and complete recovery occurred in a few days. No aftereffects were noted. These results are similar to those reported by Wenkoff (10). The results of the second test were quite similar to those of the first test. All bulls excepting one developed infections with a large sweiling of the prepuce. The Pen-0-Blocks were removed 18 to 35 days after installation. ‘Thus complications occurred with the netal-plastic and all-plastic devices. Results of ido test. Because of the complications only 6 of the 8 bulls were put in the libido test and enly cne bull completed it before the Pen-0-Blocks were removed. Tne resuits for one bull are shown in Figure 1, This bull mace 594 out of a possible 600 mounts Figure 1. Time required 60 for a bull to con- plete 50 mounts. A maxinum time of 60 minutes was allowed and on days 2 and 12 the bull completed 49 and 45 mounts, respectively. TES FOR SO MOUNTS AI Lrirrsririrpitiiirriiy 0 2 4 6 810 122 14 16 18 2 DAYS during the whole test. Although the bull tended to take more time to cosplete the prescribed number of mounts as the test went on, he finished within the time limit on all but two occasions. On these occasions the bull finished 98% and 90% of the required mounts respec- tively. Many of the bulls with Pen-0-Blocks removed because of com- Plications maintained libido. It is concluded that libido can be maintained in the presence of the Pen-0-Block. Semen collected from deviated bulls, These bults trained normally to serve the a Tal vagina and produced normal semen (Table II) for one year old bulls. 56 JULY 1976 VOL, 6 NO. 1THERIOGENOLOGY TABLE IT Semen Quality of Deviated Bulls?’ Sperm Total sperm Bull Volume Motility concentration per ejac. ‘Fructose no. (ml) (4%) (205 /1n1) (o®) (mg/100 mt) L 2.7 6s 1442 4014 734 2 2.4 53 1283 2818 852 6 5.3 44 759 3555 893 7 2.2 60 1447 3022 583 8! 24 senen collections per bull from July to October, 1973. tion with deviated bulls and steers. The results of these tests are summarized in Table III. Tnroughout 211 tests no ani- mal was ever observed to be able to copulate with a female. In Test I TABLE IIL Estrus Detection by Deviated Bulls and Steers, Heifers detected that could have showed estrus, % Animal Test T ‘rest It Test III ‘Test ‘IV 1 79% 72% 65% - 2 Gls - - 97% 3 (steer) - 47% 46% - 6 88% - - 100% 7 18% 44% 72% - 8 (steer) - 33% 49% - Average 62% 34% 66% 99% Overall detection 84% 77% 83% 99% (1 hour each night and morning) 84% of the cows were detected in heat during a 21-day period as compared to 77% in Test II (one 4-hour period per day). In Test 11, run later in the same way as Test II, 83% of the potential animals in estrus were detected. Thus, with many teasers a combination of steers and bulls was equal to all bulls (Test I). The 24-hour per day mingling of heifers with 2 bulls (Test IV) resulted in nearly complete detection of estrus. Only 74% of the heifers were detected in estrus by an observer during Test IV when observed for 1/2 hour in the morning and 1/2 hour in late afternoon. Test IV, with one bull in each pen with 20 unbred heifers, reveals that heifers can be effectively detected in estrus with an active nay bull, Such bulls now are in use in many countries (1,7,9, 10,11). 7 JULY 1976 VOL. 6 NO. 1 57THERIOGENOLOGY Growth of bulls and steers, Bulls tended to outgain steers, but after being implanted with testosterone at 12 and 19 months of age the steers gained rapidly to equal the bulls in body weight (Figure 2). 500 suus-* } Figure 2. Growth of dea) bulls and steers. TEsTostenose ESTRADIOL PLANTS auoResteNeDIONe TABLANTS. 8 BODY WEIGHT IN KG, Tesrostenone, TeUNTS, olys—s a sg BE 0h 1012: sige 182 20s ‘AGE IN MONTHS The carcass weights and characteristics of the reproductive organs at Slaughter are summarized in Table IV. TABLE IV Slaughter Data of Deviated Bulls and Steers Dressed Penis Age weights length — Glans penis No. _(mos.) (kg) (cm.)___developnent Bulls 1 23 220 78 Complete 2 23 249 81 " 6 23 254 80 " 7 23 248 82 " Averages 23 243 79.5 Steers 4 27 240 52 Inmature 5 27 216 49 Innature 3 31 215 87 Complete 8 31 298 68 Complete Averages 29 242 56.5 Implants were removed from steers 3 months before slaughter (2 at 58 JULY 1976 VOL. 6 NO. 1THERIOGENOLOGY 24 months and 2 at 28 months). Then the bulls were maintained on a hay diet. Therefore, no particular treatment significance should be attached to slaughter weights. The dressed weight of the bulls and the steers averaged 243 kg. and 242 kg., respectively. However, the steers Were older than the bulls at slaughter partly because of holding follow- ing implant removal. Palpation during the. first year, before the steers had received implants revealed limited development. Sone development occurred following the implantation with testosterone, but protrusion of the penis did not occur in two steers. Total length of the penis was less than for the bulls (Table iV). The glans penis was still adhered in the steers sieughered at 27 months but was fully developed in the two slaughtered at 31 months of age. These experiments clearly reveal that bulls with deviated penes are highly effective in detecting estrus in heifers when given proper exposure. Steers, implanted with steroid hormones, also were fairly effective, and they probably could be excellent if only the most active cnes were selected initially. Pen-O-Blocks potentially can rapidly convert a bull into an estrus checker, but complications nake this device unsuitable for continuous use in our experience. REFERENCES, i. Clews, W. (1975). Gomer buli managenent experiences, N.A.A.B, Proc. of Ninth Conf. on A.I. of Beef Cattle. pp. 40-42, 2, Straub, 0.C., and J. W. Kendrick. (1965). Preparation of teaser bulls by penectomy. J.A.V.M.A. 147:373. 3. Frazer, J. W. (1973). Phallectony: Procedure for preparing narker bulls for artificial insemination of beef cous. Vet. Med./Snall Animal Clinician. 68:863 4. Belling, T. H. (1961). Preparation of a "teaser" bull for use in a beef cattle insemination program. J.A.V.M.A. 138:670, S. Smith, L. €. (1963). Surgical procedures to make a bull a heat detector. A.I. Digest 11:14. 6. Bieberly, F., Jr., and S. Bicberly. (1973). A simple method for preparing teaser bulls. Vet. Med./Small Animal Clinician, 6811086, 7, Weissenberg, Y., and R. Cohen. (1971). The preparation of teaser bulls by surgical deflection of the penis. Refuah Vet, 28:38. 8. Royes, B., and W. S$, Bivin. (1973). Surgical displacement of the penis in the bull. J.A.V.M.A. 163:56, JULY 1976 VOL. 6 NO.1 59THERIOGENOLOGY EE 10., il. 60 Jochle, W., T. Giminez, H. Esparza, and M, A, Hidalgo. (1973). Preparation of teaser bulls, rans, and boars by penis and prepuce deviation. Vet. Med./Small Animal Clinician, 68:395. Wenkoff, M. S. (1975). Problems associated with teaser bulls prepared by the Pen-O-Block methed. Canadian Vet. J. 16:181. Ostrowski, J. E. B., and B. Rutter. (1974). £1 desplazamiento quirGrgico del pene en el toro para su uso como retajo. Gaceta Vet. 36:652. JULY 1976 VOL. 6 NO. 1