Effect of temperament and stress in the quality and fertility of bovine sperm.

Bovine fertility and sperm quality are complex processes, yet with a delicate balance that can be impaired by different factor. An aspect not often considered is the temperament of the male. Bulls with more aggressive behavior, tend to present worse breeding performances on the field. In addition, stress in a general perspective, has strong impact on reproductive soundness of bulls. Exposure to heat stress (derived from climatic changes and exposure to high temperature and humidity index), problems related to poor management conditions during the animal handling, bad social interactions within the herd and unbalanced diets and negative energy balance can also affect spermatogenesis and herd fertility. Considering the economic and biological impact of fertility problems related to animal temperament and stress, it is important to know the triggering factors of stressful conditions so that control and mitigation measures can be implemented.