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Relation of Nutrition to Growth and Breeding Performance in Dairy Bulls. I. Alfalfa Hay Rations^*

Departments of Dairy Husbandry, Veterinary Medicine and Agricultural Chemistry, Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station, Corvallis

ABSTRACT

Four bulls, two each purebred Jersey and Holstein, fed a basal ration of alfalfa hay containing between 14 and 15 per cent crude protein, disodium phosphate, salt, and potassium iodide solution after 5 to 7 months of age and until disposal at 32 to 41 months of age, grew at a 10 to 15 per cent below normal rate until about 2 years of age. Semen samples showed more desirable characteristics after 18 months of age than before. All bulls proved fertile on service at from 24 to 40 months of age.

Two bulls, one each purebred Jersey and Holstein, fed the basal ration plus a daily supplement of one pound each of skim milk powder and oat groats after 7 months of age, grew at a normal rate. They produced semen with more desirable characteristics, especially up to 18 months of age, as compared with the bulls fed the basal ration. The bulls proved fertile on service.

Jersey bulls produced a smaller volume of semen with higher sperm concentration compared to Holsteins. The total sperm per ejaculation, averaging for the individual animals between 4 and
billion, the average initial motility and the original pH of the semen was not greatly different for the two breeds. A higher percentage of abnormal forms, particularly tail deformities, was found in semen from Jersey bulls, but the number was not usually high enough to characterize the semen as of poor quality.

Sixty-seven samples of semen with excellent original motility, disregarding breed and age, measured 5.4 cc, showed a sperm concentration of 1,120,000 per cmm., had 11 per cent abnormal spermatozoa and in 70 per cent of the samples gave initial pH readings between 6.40 and 6.80.

^* Published as Technical Paper No. 440 with the approval of the Director of the Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station.