REPRODUCTIVE PROBLEMS IN BUCKS

You have a buck that is not breeding and you want to know why. Any number of conditions may exist that are affecting his ability to breed.

The most common situation that results in a buck not breeding is that the does he is with are not coming into heat (cycling). Some goat breeds mate seasonally . . . especially dairy and dairy-crosses . . .as daylight shortens; in the northern hemisphere, that time frame is mid-July to mid-December. The same breed may cycle differently under varying climatic conditions in other locales. Producers would be wise to remember that experienced breeding bucks in hot climates tend to mate in the cooler night hours.

Malnutrition is a major factor in the buck's ability to breed. Malnutrition, as used here, refers to quality rather than quantity of feed and forage. Don't overlook the importance of minerals that have been specifically formulated for goats. The buck will lose interest in eating during breeding season, so he needs to be in good condition when placed with the does. Too thin or too fat . . . either situation is not good. Evaluate your nutritional program before breeding season begins.

Examine the buck's testicles for defects. Testes should feel "muscle" firm. Abnormally small testes hurt his chances of successfully breeding. Intersexed animals tend to have small testes. Hermaphrodites, also known as intersex , have both male and female genitalia. Small testes can also be the result of malnutrition. Sperm abnormalities are directly correlated with sexual immaturity.

Make sure that both testicles are descended from the body into the scrotal sac. A buck with one or two undescended testicles is known as a cryptorchid. Since cryptorchidism is hereditary, these bucks should not be used for breeding. Some chryptorchids may not be able to breed at all, because sperm need the cooler environment of the scrotal sac in order to develop and survive. Body cavity temperatures are too high for good sperm production.

Various infectious diseases can reduce or prevent the development of healthy sperm. Staph, coliform, and pseudomonas bacterial infections, trichomoniasis, granulomas, and herpesvirus can impact the buck's breeding ability. Bacterial infections require antibiotics and topical cleansing of the affected areas. Trichomoniasis is a protozoan that lives in the urethra and/or its sheath; under certain conditions, it can prevent insemination. Medication is necessary to kill this parasite. Because it is a virus, herpes does not respond to antibiotics and usually must run its course. Herpesvirus can cause abortions in does.

Ulcerative posthitis (pizzle rot) definitely interferes with breeding. The pizzle is the curly appendage on the end of the buck's penis. Pizzle rot is believed to be caused by a high-protein diet. Such a diet increases the amount of urea in the buck's urine, resulting in the production of excess ammonia. The ammonia provides fertile ground in which bacteria can live and reproduce. Dense and/or twisted hair around the urethral process, as well as penile ulcers and pustles, can interfere with breeding. Testicular tumors, while possible, are rare in goats.

Scrotal hernias, although not common in goats, will impair sperm production. Wounds, cuts, bites, and frostbite are more common problems. Adhesion of the urethral process to the glans penis prevents breeding. While this condition is normal in immature bucks, they should separate at sexual maturity, allowing the penis to extend from the sheath so the buck can impregnate the doe. Arthritis restricts the buck's ability to breed for obvious reasons; if the buck isn't flexible, he won't be able to mount the doe.

Urinary calculi is a major problem in many bucks. Stones or crystals block urine flow, preventing the male from urinating. A buck that can't urinate also can't breed. Indeed, a buck that can't urinate will soon be dead. See this writer's article on urinary calculi in the May 1998 issue of Goat Rancher Magazine or on the Articles page of the Onion Creek Ranch website http://www.tennesseemeatgoats.com

Urinary calculi is very preventable. Simply feed the buck properly. Do not over-feed sacked feeds and always use a goat feed that has at least a 2:1 ratio of calcium-to-phosphorus. Occasionally the mineral content of drinking water contributes to causing urinary calculi. However, most cases of urinary calculi in bucks are the result of improper feed management. Urinary calculi tends to be chronic (recurring), even when immediate medical attention has been given. Don't rely on products like ammonium chloride and methigel to prevent the problem. They are stop-gap measures at best.

The effect of scrotal volume, scrotal circumference, and split scrotums on sperm production are debatable issues, with arguments to be made on either side. The producer may elect to have a sperm count done on the buck if all other efforts to identify the problem have been examined and determined not to be the cause.

Producers tend to think that a non-breeding buck is not *fixable.* Illness and injury can be dealt with, as can poor nutrition. More often than not, if the does are coming into heat, poor nutrition or injury is the key to the buck's inability to breed. Before the producer decides to demand replacement of what he believes to be a non-breeding buck, he needs to exhaust all avenues of investigation. The answer may be as simple as (a) the buck is breeding at night, therefore not being seen in mating activity, or (b) calculation of breeding-to-kidding dates are incorrect. (Does don't always settle on the first breeding.) In this writer's experience, very few bucks are non-breeders. Usually the producer's challenge is to keep bucks from breeding at undesirable times.

The author, Suzanne Gasparotto, hereby grants to local goat publications and club newsletters, permission to reprint articles published on the Onion Creek Ranch website under these conditions: THE ARTICLE MUST BE REPRODUCED IN ITS ENTIRETY AND THE AUTHOR'S NAME, ADDRESS, AND CONTACT INFORMATION MUST BE INCLUDED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE REPRINT. Acknowledgement must also be made that the articles were first published in GOAT RANCHER Magazine, for which Suzanne Gasparotto writes exclusively. We would appreciate notification from any clubs or publications when the articles are used. (A copy of the newsletter or publication would also be a welcome addition to our growing library of goat related information!)

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