Testing the serving capacity of beef bulls

Authors: Fraser D
Publication: New Zealand Veterinary Journal, Volume 31, Issue 1-2, pp 20, Jan 1983
Publisher: Taylor and Francis

Animal type: Cattle, Livestock, Production animal, Ruminant
Subject Terms: Animal welfare, Reproduction, Reproduction - male
Article class: Correspondence

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Abstract: It is my wish to draw to the attention of colleagues a method for testing the serving capacity of beef bulls which has been adopted and is being advocated by the Advisory Services Division of the MAF, and which in the opinion of officers in the Animal Health Division in this region would almost certainly constitute an offence under the Animals Protection Act 1960. Details of the test are given in AgLink FPP 447, but briefly it consists of having three or four anoestrus heifers restrained in a large yard and allowing up to 20 sexually stimulated bulls to mount them repeatedly for up to 40 minutes. Such an event was witnessed by several of our officers, other MAF personnel and members of the farming community, including wives and children, recently at West Wanaka Station in Otago. There, three small yearling heifers restrained by the head and having a post in the ground at each shoulder to minimise lateral movement were repeatedly raped by five or six mature bulls until two of them collapsed, bleeding from the vagina. They were “helped” to their feet by a combination of tail twisting and kicking to face another onslaught by a fresh group of bulls. At the end of the proceedings many of those in the audience visibly showed disgust and expressed those feelings personally to members of the Animal Health Division in that area…

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