Welcome back to Cattlemen & Veterinarians: A Partnership in Bovine Health, powered by American Cattlemen Media. Just ahead, we have our hosts Kaid Panek and Dr. Shynia Peterman and they chat with David Jensen and Cesar Melgar with Hawkeye Breeders. 

Jensen explains that Hawkeye Breeders is a custom bull collection facility that does not own or market bulls but provides semen collection services for artificial insemination, embryo transfer, and IVF for a global customer base. He traces the history of artificial insemination from cooled semen shipped in milk fat on milk trucks to modern frozen semen, sexed semen, genomic tools, and advanced reproductive technologies.

Jensen outlines the semen collection process using trained teaser steers and artificial vaginas, emphasizing the importance of evaluating motility, morphology, and concentration. He stresses that breeding soundness exams are critical “cheap insurance” to ensure bulls are structurally sound, reproductively normal, and capable of settling cows, especially given today’s high cattle prices and demand for herd growth.

Melgar details laboratory evaluation, including microscopic assessment and computer-assisted semen analysis (CASA), along with verification of concentration using a nuclear counter. He explains dose differences between beef and dairy semen and the importance of progressive motility. Jensen then describes the industry’s adoption of sexed semen, the role of flow cytometry, and collaboration with major providers. Because of extensive quality control, bacterial testing, DNA verification, and packaging steps, turnaround time for sexed semen is typically about two weeks, compared to roughly a day for conventional semen.

The discussion shifts to health, disease testing, and nutrition. For domestic use, tuberculosis and brucellosis testing are standard; for export, bulls and semen undergo extensive testing for leukosis, BVD, IBR, Campylobacter, trichomoniasis, and more. Vaccination strategy becomes more complex when export is anticipated, since some markets restrict vaccinated animals. Melgar emphasizes deworming plans, vitamin supplementation, and comprehensive mineral programs, highlighting key trace elements such as zinc, selenium, copper, and manganese, and treating bulls like athletes ahead of breeding or collection. Listener questions cover age at first collection, bull longevity in the breeding battery, mineral timing before turnout, and protocols for retesting bulls that initially fail a breeding soundness exam. Dr. Shynia Peterman closes by reinforcing proactive health, testing, nutrition, and early planning as essential to a successful breeding season.

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