Sunday, 30 August 2015 14:00

Aim for a good calving pattern

Written by 
Heat mount detector. Heat mount detector.

Getting cows in-calf quickly is key to achieving a good calving pattern, says DairyNZ.

Heat detection, pre-mating heats and bull management are key ingredients for a successful mating. Getting these right will benefit the farm’s submission rate and six-week in-calf rate, it says.

The easiest way to spot cycling cows is to do pre-mating heat detection.

Use tail paint to pick out cycling cows. Use one colour tail paint to start, then a second colour as cows cycle and lose their tail paint. Within two weeks about half the cycling cows will have been identified. At three weeks,
cows with the original colour are the non-cyclers.

Calculate the herd’s pre-mating cycling rate using the InCalf book for the percentage of cows showing signs of heat before mating begins. If cycling is less than 75% by 10 days before the planned start of mating, heat detection has not been fully effective and/or there are too many non-cyclers.

At that stage it is time to seek advice and consider which options are available to improve heat detection during AB (artificial breeding) and treat non-cycling cows.

The best heat detection starts with careful planning, good observation and the effective use of detection aids.

Being able to interpret cow behaviour and other signs is critical, along with good record keeping and training for those doing heat detection.

Start by reviewing the farm’s heat detection skills. Does everyone know what to look for when detecting cows on heat? Then, decide which combination of aids the farm will use (tail paint, heat mount detectors, activity meters and heat synchronisation).

Tail paint

Tail paint is an inexpensive and effective way to detect cows on heat.

Apply tail paint to all cows just before the start of mating. Touch it up at least weekly and check for cows with rubbed or broken tail paint during milking.

Re-checking tail paint for rub marks immediately before each cow’s insemination will avoid inseminating cows not on heat.

To help identify cows not yet inseminated or those only showing weak signs of heat, reapply a different coloured tail paint to recently inseminated cows once other cows no longer try to mount them.

Heat mount detectors

Heat mount detectors can be particularly effective on farms with less skilled staff checking cows on heat - and when used with paddock checks for heat.

Applied to the cow’s backbone, the detectors will become brightly coloured and easily recognised.

Again, heat mount detectors should be applied just before mating starts, then monitored for activation and removed at insemination.

Until the end of the AB period, the detector should be replaced after insemination, when the cow is no longer being mounted. 

Regularly replace any heat mount detectors if damaged or coming loose.

Organise bulls

  • Good bull management ensures they are well adjusted to their environment before mating.
  • Move bulls to the farm two to three months before they are required for work. 
  • Buy bulls from the same mob and split them into two teams to rotate them (half resting, half working) to reduce fighting. 

More like this

Featured

Dr Mike Joy says sorry, escapes censure

Academic Dr Mike Joy and his employer, Victoria University of Wellington have apologised for his comments suggesting that dairy industry CEOs should be hanged for contributing towards nitrate poisoning of waterways.

People-first philosophy pays off

The team meeting at the Culverden Hotel was relaxed and open, despite being in the middle of calving when stress levels are at peak levels, especially in bitterly cold and wet conditions like today.

Farmer anger over Joy's social media post

A comment by outspoken academic Dr Mike Joy suggesting that dairy industry leaders should be hanged for nitrate contamination of drinking/groundwater has enraged farmers.

National

Machinery & Products

JDLink Boost for NZ farms

Connectivity is widely recognised as one of the biggest challenges facing farmers, but it is now being overcome through the…

New generation Defender HD11

The all-new 2026 Can-Am Defender HD11 looks likely to raise the bar in the highly competitive side-by-side category.

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

Buttery prize

OPINION: Westland Milk may have won the contract to supply butter to Costco NZ but Open Country Dairy is having…

Gene Bill rumours

OPINION: The Gene Technology Bill has divided the farming community with strong arguments on both the pros and cons of…

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter