Empty heifers

Devon lad said:

Did our scanning on our 78 spring calving heifers a few weeks ago and the empty rate is quite high. 11/78, 9 week breed period.
Usual empty rate 3-4/80 or 5%.
50 top heifers selected for 21 day ai to natural heats using lic sexed semen and scratch cards + observations.
Other 28 2nd class heifers ran with 3 Hereford bulls non-fertility checked.

After 21 days the ai’d heifers joined the 2nd class heifers and 3x Hereford bulls.

Of the 11 empty’s, 9 of them were the AI’d group. Seems to be a high ratio. Clearly the bulls worked ok on the 2nd class heifers but the AI heifers that did not hold to AI also didn’t hold to the bulls.
Early embryo loss/reabsorbion?
All heifers were well grown and bulling really well, winter diet was slightly different than usual as our kale yield was low so more silage were fed out in the field, but the winter was kind and spring grazing was fantastic.
Any thoughts much appreciated.

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Devon lad said:

I’ve just read an Irish farmers journal article and there are very few single digit empty rates being reported in spring calving herds and even higher empty rates in heifers this year?
Interesting?

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Devon lad said:

Too much sexed being used? The greenfield moorpark herd has 12.5% nic after 14 weeks!
I’m scanning the cows tomorrow and I’m feeling a bit nervous

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Beef farmer said:

Ive spoke to a man over in IRE this week, he assured me that mt run around cows wont be hard to find this year

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More to life said:

Are you buying before 31st October?

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jimmer said:

Just my thoughts
Tell lic if you haven't already
Next year, synch those chosen for ai, but put bulls in next day
they didn't hold to ai for whatever reason, you then put them in with untested bulls, if only one was working he would have been pushed to cover them all and if he had run out of puff getting the first lot pregnant...... Or he didn't fancy posh birds ?

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Princess Pooper said:

sexed not usually recommended for a sync programme.

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Manney said:

I have sexed in the flask but decided against using it.

We've done ok this year with 90% in calf over 12 weeks, thats cows and hefs including anything not severed with the intention of culling. 6 week in calf rate is 79% so I'm happy with the result.

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Holsteinfriesian90 said:

I bet your cows would hold fine to sexed.

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Holsteinfriesian90 said:

Yep we tried it once never again.

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Devon lad said:

Did our scanning on our 78 spring calving heifers a few weeks ago and the empty rate is quite high. 11/78, 9 week breed period.
Usual empty rate 3-4/80 or 5%.
50 top heifers selected for 21 day ai to natural heats using lic sexed semen and scratch cards + observations.
Other 28 2nd class heifers ran with 3 Hereford bulls non-fertility checked.

After 21 days the ai’d heifers joined the 2nd class heifers and 3x Hereford bulls.

Of the 11 empty’s, 9 of them were the AI’d group. Seems to be a high ratio. Clearly the bulls worked ok on the 2nd class heifers but the AI heifers that did not hold to AI also didn’t hold to the bulls.
Early embryo loss/reabsorbion?
All heifers were well grown and bulling really well, winter diet was slightly different than usual as our kale yield was low so more silage were fed out in the field, but the winter was kind and spring grazing was fantastic.
Any thoughts much appreciated.

Click to expand...