A.I. & BREEDING

Ultrasound is being used on an increasing number of dairy cattle around the U.S. It is most often thought of as a means of early pregnancy diagnosis or, more importantly, early “open cow” diagnosis.

A minor logistical change in your Presynch/Ovsynch program moving from a calendar-based program to a more physiologically based program can dramatically impact conception rates for first A.I. and farm profit.

You are already familiar with maps and the four cardinal directions. You also know the combination of north, south, east and west you use determines how fast you get from point A to point B.

The reasons for cows leaving a herd are many. According to the National Animal Health Monitoring System’s Dairy 2007 study, dairy farmers most often removed cows for reproductive problems (26.3 percent), followed closely by mastitis or udder problems (23 percent), and lameness or injury (16 percent).

When analyzing national breeding indexes, we’ve learned one size does not fit all. In fact, indexes differ quite drastically to accommodate varying breeding philosophies.

While these indexes all aim to create a unified ranking for selecting genetics, the development of any index is challenging.

There are several ways to get heifers bred quickly after they move into the breeding pen.

“Walk and chalk” is the strategy of choice for Vance Kells, owner of Circle Bar Heifer Ranch in Satanta, Kansas.