Читать книгу Bovine Reproduction - Группа авторов - Страница 172

Diagnostic ultrasound is a safe, non‐invasive method for acquiring additional diagnostic and prognostic information in cases of infertility in the bull. Clinical competence with bull genital ultrasonography can be readily achieved by routinely imaging the genital tract of normal healthy bulls. This will provide the frame of reference necessary to identify and interpret pathologic changes as they are encountered. The common lesions are seldom subtle and are readily detected by systems providing average or better image quality. We recommend ultrasonography as an adjunct to the BBSE for all cases of subfertility in artificial insemination (AI) sires and valuable natural service sires. Routine screening of young sires as part of a pre‐purchase evaluation should be done with caution as the most common ultrasound change encountered is a fibrotic lesion or foci in the testes. These lesions have been shown to have little or no effect on semen quality in young bulls. Advances in ultrasound diagnostic capability, especially as it relates to assessment of blood flow in the scrotum or tissue density measurement, may enhance our ability to discriminate between fertile and infertile bulls in the future.