Although semen quality is one of the major traits that influence breeding soundness
examination outcomes in bulls, field conditions occasionally do not allow for the collection
of semen samples by means of an artificial vagina. The aims of the present study were to
report the results of a large number of semen collections that were performed via the
transrectal massage (TRM) of the accessory sexual glands of Italian yearling beef bulls and
compare this semen collection method to the artificial vagina (AV) method in term of
breeding soundness examination outcomes; furthermore, we determined whether the
breed affected the semen characteristics. In the TRM group (n ¼ 475), the semen samples
were collected via TRM of the accessory sexual glands, and in the AV group (n ¼ 502), the
AV method was used. In the TRM group, semen samples were obtained from 81.3% of the
bulls and penile protrusion was observed in 87.6% of the animals during semen collection.
The sperm concentrations (920.5 439.0 vs. 281.0 259.8 106/mL) and the percentages
of total abnormal spermatozoa (22.8 15.0 vs. 18.8 12.9) were significantly higher in the
AV group than those in the TRM group. The percentage of bulls that did not meet the
minimum requirement for normal cells (70%) was 6.2% higher in the AV group than that
in the TRM group (P < 0.05). Moreover, the samples collected from Chianina bulls by TRM
exhibited a lower percentage of motile sperm and a higher percentage of abnormal
spermatozoa when compared with the other two breeds. The major drawbacks of the TRM
technique were the inability to conduct complete evaluation of the libido and mating
ability of the yearling bulls, a significant reduction of the number of spermatozoa collected,
and an increase in the variability of the semen characteristics due to breed. In conclusion,
despite the drawbacks, TRM guarantees that semen evaluation can be conducted in cases
in which the semen samples cannot be collected with the AV method.