Empty heifers

[Grassman247]

PD’d 180 heifers today, 9 empty so 5% empty rate, really pleased with that, our best for the spring herd so far.

Heifers were split into 2 groups of 80 and CiDR synced, the 20 smallest were put straight to the bulls. The others were served blind to the sync program and then bulls joined them 2 days after

Thought I’d update this a year later as it may help others.
The previous results didn’t represent calving, we ended up with 17 empty heifers by the end of calving which was very disappointing and similar to the previous 6 years results.

This year on the other hand we have ended up with 192 in calf out of 196

this was done on a 9 day sync program instead of a 10 day one.
extra jab of receptal was used at AI and the cidrs were done in house by ourselves due to being in lockdown.
165 were all served on one day so end of jan is going to be very busy.
the smaller ones when straight in with the bulls
Will have a proper idea of conception rates to the sync when they calve

 

[Durry cows]

Thought I’d update this a year later as it may help others.
The previous results didn’t represent calving, we ended up with 17 empty heifers by the end of calving which was very disappointing and similar to the previous 6 years results.

This year on the other hand we have ended up with 192 in calf out of 196

this was done on a 9 day sync program instead of a 10 day one.
extra jab of receptal was used at AI and the cidrs were done in house by ourselves due to being in lockdown.
165 were all served on one day so end of jan is going to be very busy.
the smaller ones when straight in with the bulls
Will have a proper idea of conception rates to the sync when they calve

Cheers for the update what % conception to the sync is it looking like? Busy few days!!!

 

[Grassman247]

Cheers for the update what % conception to the sync is it looking like? Busy few days!!!

vet was quoting 65% plus but will know an exact figure in jan

 

[som farmer]

Thought I’d update this a year later as it may help others.
The previous results didn’t represent calving, we ended up with 17 empty heifers by the end of calving which was very disappointing and similar to the previous 6 years results.

This year on the other hand we have ended up with 192 in calf out of 196

this was done on a 9 day sync program instead of a 10 day one.
extra jab of receptal was used at AI and the cidrs were done in house by ourselves due to being in lockdown.
165 were all served on one day so end of jan is going to be very busy.
the smaller ones when straight in with the bulls
Will have a proper idea of conception rates to the sync when they calve

there usually is some extra empties, annoying, but ok if not disease ! We have been syncing for the last 3 years, but doing less, each yr, 1st year, full program, prid, and jabs, 2nd, straight jab, this year, served to visual, for 7 days, then jabbed. 68, out of 69 hfrs, served in first 3 weeks, 75% held to 1st service, all pd+ve.
The first 2 yrs, results were similar, but ended up with some empties, mainly flekx, which we have difficulty getting i/c, no idea why, no fleks, this year ! As we progress, if we can achieve these results, we will be doing similar, with the cows, we are dairy, AI, especially looking forward, should give us, a matched group, of beef calves, that should be superior to stock bulls, as well as a tight group of replacements.

 

[Rossymons]

vet was quoting 65% plus but will know an exact figure in jan

We do a lot of co-synchs like what you've done and I would say 65% would be a reasonable shout.

 

[Rhydwen1]

Would any of you be using sexed semen with cidr sync on heifers, if so what sort of results?
Done it on 2 small groups last couple of years first year went well, last year bit of a disaster.

 

[Farmer Keith]

Am I alone in breeding all replacements off cows and just using an AA bull on heifers? 95% calved in the first 21days this August and 100% in calf rate, granted you need the correct bull but it’s just so easy, I get them fertility tested before then put him in and the field forget about him. The cows are obviously so much easier to AI as I’m dealing with them 2x a day anyways.

 

[SolwayFarmer]

Would any of you be using sexed semen with cidr sync on heifers, if so what sort of results?
Done it on 2 small groups last couple of years first year went well, last year bit of a disaster.

I tried it last year. Followed the sync instructions to the letter. 6 in calf out of 40 one of which had a bull calf. Never again.Vet blamed the AI technician, AI tech reckoned the sync hadn’t been done right. Just the usual pass the buck nonsense. Definitely wouldn’t do it again

 

[Grassman247]

I tried it last year. Followed the sync instructions to the letter. 6 in calf out of 40 one of which had a bull calf. Never again.Vet blamed the AI technician, AI tech reckoned the sync hadn’t been done right. Just the usual pass the buck nonsense. Definitely wouldn’t do it again

As we have tended to do in the past is pass the blame, semen placement is vital but I’d say biggest thing for us has been nutrition, we managed to mess it up on a group of housed autumn heifers one year feeding them third cut silage through service instead of the usual first cut as we’d forgot to change it and the results were a disaster

 

[Grassman247]

Am I alone in breeding all replacements off cows and just using an AA bull on heifers? 95% calved in the first 21days this August and 100% in calf rate, granted you need the correct bull but it’s just so easy, I get them fertility tested before then put him in and the field forget about him. The cows are obviously so much easier to AI as I’m dealing with them 2x a day anyways.

As a fantastic idea this is I’ve had a great outlet for selling surplus heifers, we are also expanding again so need every female animal we can get our hands on

 

[som farmer]

I tried it last year. Followed the sync instructions to the letter. 6 in calf out of 40 one of which had a bull calf. Never again.Vet blamed the AI technician, AI tech reckoned the sync hadn’t been done right. Just the usual pass the buck nonsense. Definitely wouldn’t do it again

try serving to visual, for 7 days, then single jab, £2.50 ? but the make, or break, is the person doing the actual AI. We are lucky enough, to use a good one, our hfrs held 75% to 1st service, 68, out of 69, served in the 3 week window. We keep back, anything 'suspect' bulling, he will feel, and it's a, yes, or no, she' not bulling. A few years ago, we used a technician, from a major semen company, loaded up 10 guns, and, wham, bang, thankyou ma'am Never again, less than 40% held, learn't that lesson, he was in a hurry. Especially with dairy cattle, with the impending ban, on euthanising crap calves, at birth, means, the better the beef bull you use, the more likely hood, of producing a calf, that some one will want to buy.
and, with all respect to breeders, AI beef bulls, are a lot better, than many on farm, stock bulls.

 

[Rossymons]

I tried it last year. Followed the sync instructions to the letter. 6 in calf out of 40 one of which had a bull calf. Never again.Vet blamed the AI technician, AI tech reckoned the sync hadn’t been done right. Just the usual pass the buck nonsense. Definitely wouldn’t do it again

In this instance I would side with the AI tech.

They could be the best in the world at what they do but if there's no egg to fertilise then the chances of getting the cow pregnant are zero.

Timings for synch is so important to the job and I've seen some very odd protocols thrown about by vets which have - not surprisingly- led to rubbish results which leads to lots of bickering between parties and the only one who loses is the farmer as they have to pay the bill for the lot.

 

[Rossymons]

Would any of you be using sexed semen with cidr sync on heifers, if so what sort of results?
Done it on 2 small groups last couple of years first year went well, last year bit of a disaster.

Serve cows and heifers to CIDR synch with sexed semen - no issue with results. Use a chemise though as CIDR synchs can lead to dirty cows.

Synch programmes should deliver similar conception rates to whatever your farm is achieving. So if for example the heifers are looking a bit plain putting them on a synch programme won't raise that conception figure just because you've synched them. If you're fertility is good, animals are in good condition and health a decent synch programme should deliver very good results.

 

[Rhydwen1]

As we have tended to do in the past is pass the blame, semen placement is vital but I’d say biggest thing for us has been nutrition, we managed to mess it up on a group of housed autumn heifers one year feeding them third cut silage through service instead of the usual first cut as we’d forgot to change it and the results were a disaster

I think the biggest factor when I tried it was nutrition, first lot were settled on silage and had been in for 3 weeks second lot had only just come in. I suppose that applies to whatever method your using. Also both times we served to visible heat not blindly so many hours after cidr came out.