A.I. & Breeding

Dairy owners might be able to add more to their bottom line if they introduce a beef bull into their breeding program for some of the producing cows in their herd, a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service specialist said.

At the recent Midwest Dairy Day, held Dec. 1, 2017, in Calmar, Iowa, four dairy operations shared strategies, tips and protocols for meeting reproduction goals. Three herds have a pregnancy rate of 33 to 34 percent, while one herd has achieved an outstanding 46 percent.

The secret to getting more cows pregnant in a timely manner could already be at your fingertips. In fact, it may be just a few key strokes away.

Valuable data is already available for most dairies, and digging into it can unearth both sweet spots and trouble zones that affect reproduction. By targeting areas of opportunity and focusing on results, producers can enjoy reproductive success. Let’s take a look at how records can be used to achieve this.

Progressive dairy producers, academia and industry personnel gathered in Reno, Nevada, Nov. 8-10, 2017, for the Dairy Cattle Reproduction Council (DCRC) annual meeting to discuss new and advanced practices to achieve outstanding reproductive performance.

One of the most vulnerable times in a dairy cow’s lactation is also one of the most physically demanding.

Playing the elite genetic merit game is not for the faint of heart. While the rewards are high, like six-figure sale prices, so are the risks. Cattle die, an animal’s estimated genetic worth doesn’t materialize or embryo transfer is performed with limited success.