Abstract
The objective of this research was to determine the effects of whole cottonseed containing gossypol on post-pubertal beef bulls. In a two-year study, 46 Angus and Red Angus bulls (body weight 457.0 ± 85.2 kg; 16 to 20-months of age) were stratified by BW and randomly assigned to 1 of 3 levels of whole cottonseed supplementation while receiving ad libitum roughage. The treatments included: DD (n = 14, control; 3.18 kg/d of dried distillers grain, W/D (n = 16; 1.59 kg/d of whole cottonseed and 1.59 kg/d of dried distillers grain), or WW (n = 16 3.18 kg/d of whole cottonseed). Diets were formulated to be isocaloric and isonitrogenous. In both years, bulls were weighed, administered a breeding soundness exam, and morphological characteristics of spermatozoa were measured on d 0, 28, and 60. In year 1, blood and semen samples were collected on d 0, 28, and 60 to measure manganese superoxide dismutase activity. There was no treatment effect for blood or semen manganese superoxide dismutase concentration (P > 0.255). There was a treatment effect (P < 0.02) for average daily gain as bulls fed WW gained less compared to those fed WD and DD (0.96, 1.23, and 1.39 kg/d, respectively). No treatment effect was observed for scrotal circumference (P > 0.50). There were no treatment × time interactions, treatment, or time main effects for percentages of normal spermatozoa, spermatozoa with coiled or folded tails, or proximal droplets (P > 0.12). There was a treatment effect on the amount of swollen midpiece or abnormal head as bull in the DD treatment had a greater (P < 0.02) percentage of other abnormalities compared to WW, but WD was not different (P > 0.16). Inclusion of whole cottonseed may affect average daily gain, but does not affect reproductive parameters of beef bulls.
Causes of rejection of beef bulls in breeding soundness evaluation