Suckler cow fertility management Flashcards
What is the main product of a suckler herd?
Calf
What factors need to be efficient on a suckler herd?
- Calves weaned/cows to bull
- Weaning weight
- Carcass quality
- Meat price
- Production traits
Why can weaning weights differ variably on a suckler herd
A lot of farms wean on the same day, so the later born calves will be lighter weight
- For every cycle later = 25Kg less weaning weight
List the key performance indicators for fertility on a suckler herd
- Mating period
- Pregnancy rate
- Abortion rate
- Calving rate
- Perinatal mortality
- Weaning weight
What aspects drive suckler herd production?
- Cow fertility
- Calf management
- Restricted breeding season
- Calving season
- Bull fertility
- Good herd health
- Breeding / record evaluation
- Replacement management
What are the advantages of a compact calving period?
- Favourable environment
- Heifer selection
- Management procedures
- Disease control
- Calving supervision
- Strategic nutrition
- Homogenous group at sale
Why does a compact calving period provide better disease control?
- Grouping ages together
- Better hygiene
- Vaccination, endoparasites
Describe the importance of cows calving early and the advantage of this in future years
- Calves early so likely to conceive early, so conceives early again in year two, so calves early in year 2, etc every year
- Can give 7-9 calves in a life time
Describe the consequences of a cow calving later i.e. closer to when the bull is due back in
- Calves close to when the bull is due back in, conceives later as she is not ready when the bull is first presented.
- In year two she calves later – and even closer to when the bull is due back in
- Gets later every year until she is no longer in the herd
- May only give 2-3 calves in a life time before being culled
When do you want heifers to calve and why?
- Want them to calve 2-3 weeks before the adult cows so they have a head start before being bred a second time as they are still growing animals and may need more time
- Can then maintain early calving times in future years
How can the timing of being born affect calves being bought at sales?
Calves born in the first block have longer to grow until the sale so have increased weights - Per Kg of live weight they get a better price because the calves look bigger and more attractive
- If calves are born late/are small in size they may not be bought at the sale
Describe the key steps of heifer management
- Select replacements from early born calves as they will have the max age and growth at the time of breeding
- Target age at first calving = 2yo
- Calve 3-4w before planned start of calving for herd
- Restrict breeding/calving period to 6w
- Wean her calf early
Describe why later born calves have an increased mortality risk
- Pathogen exposure: older calves pose a risk to younger, accumulation of pathogens in the calving area
- Increased risk of dystocia: supervision exhaustion, decreased hygiene
Describe the options for spread-out calving’s
- Split into spring & autumn calving group
- Cull late calvers & replace with heifers that calved early
- Restrict suckling & use hormones in late calvers: onset of oestrus activity after calving will stat quicker
- Manage BCS: feed plan, early weaning, etc
- Limit peri-parturient problems
What are some advantages of AI over a bull?
- Wider choice and more targeted selection of genetics
- Known traits (EBV)
- Avoids keeping bull: health and safety, logistics, biosecurity, disease control
