Farming Tasks: Breeding

[Herdwatch]

Good morning!

Let's see if we can get a better response here

We would like to find out how farmers on the forum are managing their breeding.
As it can have a substantial impact on your farm, it usually requires reliable planning and management.

So we would like to know: Around what time of the year do you begin, do you follow certain steps or procedures, what do you use for heat detection, and how do you keep track of your servings and pregnancy scannings?

 

[dinderleat]

My eyes, pen and paper, we also use nmr.

 

[BELOWAVERAGE]

Bulls run with the herd permanently, very rarely write anything down, nothing scanned, dry off when they knock a big calf.

 

[jimmer]

Bulls run with the herd permanently, very rarely write anything down, nothing scanned, dry off when they knock a big calf.

How is anyone going to make any money out of you !

 

[BELOWAVERAGE]

How is anyone going to make any money out of you !

Always work on the theory, it ain't what you make, its what you don't spend(still trying to perfect it though)

 

[Farmer Bogass]

Bulls run with the herd permanently, very rarely write anything down, nothing scanned, dry off when they knock a big calf.

I am all for running bulls, but to make money you need bulls from good lines, good herd management (to avoid in breeding amongst other things), records written down on which bull has serviced which cow or heifer, health management etc. Importantly if breeding own replacements, you want to keep the best % of calves and sell on the rest. Who's going to buy them with no figures?

Drying off should be done around 50 days before calving, how are you supposed to know when with no records?

I can only assume you are taking the Michael!

 

[buffalo_soldier]

Teaser bulls
Phone app.

My arm is merely the conduit between the two.

 

[Beef farmer]

I am all for running bulls, but to make money you need bulls from good lines, good herd management (to avoid in breeding amongst other things), records written down on which bull has serviced which cow or heifer, health management etc. Importantly if breeding own replacements, you want to keep the best % of calves and sell on the rest. Who's going to buy them with no figures?

Drying off should be done around 50 days before calving, how are you supposed to know when with no records?

I can only assume you are taking the Michael!

Or running a flying herd?

 

[jimmer]

I am all for running bulls, but to make money you need bulls from good lines, good herd management (to avoid in breeding amongst other things), records written down on which bull has serviced which cow or heifer, health management etc. Importantly if breeding own replacements, you want to keep the best % of calves and sell on the rest. Who's going to buy them with no figures?

Drying off should be done around 50 days before calving, how are you supposed to know when with no records?

I can only assume you are taking the Michael!

It's called old fashioned stockman ship , not the new fangled type

 

[Beef farmer]

Bulls run with the herd permanently, very rarely write anything down, nothing scanned, dry off when they knock a big calf.

Always work on the theory, it ain't what you make, its what you don't spend(still trying to perfect it though)

Your 1st quote you could be my FIL the second quote my late gramps.

 

[BELOWAVERAGE]

I am all for running bulls, but to make money you need bulls from good lines, good herd management (to avoid in breeding amongst other things), records written down on which bull has serviced which cow or heifer, health management etc. Importantly if breeding own replacements, you want to keep the best % of calves and sell on the rest. Who's going to buy them with no figures?

Drying off should be done around 50 days before calving, how are you supposed to know when with no records?

I can only assume you are taking the Michael!

Not taking the Micheal, as you say you need good bulls, stock bulls used for the last few years are Goonhilly Tom, Goonhilly Katy's Boy, Goonhilly Shadow,and another good but unregistered bull again from Goonhilly, I have no intention of buying my bulls from anywhere else, and I trust James knowing the breeding of the bulls I have used, will ensure inbreeding doesn't happen, as regards health, haven't tubed a cow for mastitis for nearly 18 months, picked 3 feet up last year out of 130 cows(and they were the only 3 that went lame, not interested in breeding the best, only interested in breeding a hard trouble free cow, as regards selling the rest, they're not for sale. I am 57 this year and have been milking cows since I was 6, please don't tell me I don't know my job.

 

[Sparkymark]

My eyes and heats/ai’s logged into my phone app.
Used to run a bull with the lows to sweep up but dont bother now. If dont get in calf in a timely manner they go.

 

[lizness]

Look out for bulling cows visually, if one not seen bulling or heifers use chalk on tails. Write down in book bullings/positive or negative PD's.

 

[Beef farmer]

Take seat @Farmer Bogass

 

[Beef farmer]

After an endorsement like That, perhaps @More to life will finally order some bulls from @Friesianfan

 

[Tarw Coch]

I am all for running bulls, but to make money you need bulls from good lines, good herd management (to avoid in breeding amongst other things), records written down on which bull has serviced which cow or heifer, health management etc. Importantly if breeding own replacements, you want to keep the best % of calves and sell on the rest. Who's going to buy them with no figures?

Drying off should be done around 50 days before calving, how are you supposed to know when with no records?

I can only assume you are taking the Michael!

From what little I've read on this topic I'd put money on it that below average is making more money than plenty who know all the facts and figures and do things by the book.

 

[som farmer]

block calve, hfrs synced, and served to good bulls, ai main block for 2 weeks to good bulls, then the beef bulls go in, 85 I/c to dairy, ( 14 second service) submission rate 90%, each year should get better, another 4 yrs and they should come up and ask to be served! realy its all down to stockmanship, and knowing your cows, if you block calve, its easy to bump them as you know last service date. we do p/d to make sure the bulls are working , and we do fertility test the bulls

 

[cattow]

http://www.dairycobreeding.org.uk/t...ull_report_pli_Int_FRI&i=1&b=FRI#.WthKQExFzIV

The top PLi Friesian bull of all time is a natural service bull, top bulls aren't always AI bulls

 

[Friesianfan]

http://www.dairycobreeding.org.uk/t...ull_report_pli_Int_FRI&i=1&b=FRI#.WthKQExFzIV

The top PLi Friesian bull of all time is a natural service bull, top bulls aren't always AI bulls

31.2 kg fat and 26.8 kg protein!

 

[Friesianfan]

Not taking the Micheal, as you say you need good bulls, stock bulls used for the last few years are Goonhilly Tom, Goonhilly Katy's Boy, Goonhilly Shadow,and another good but unregistered bull again from Goonhilly, I have no intention of buying my bulls from anywhere else, and I trust James knowing the breeding of the bulls I have used, will ensure inbreeding doesn't happen, as regards health, haven't tubed a cow for mastitis for nearly 18 months, picked 3 feet up last year out of 130 cows(and they were the only 3 that went lame, not interested in breeding the best, only interested in breeding a hard trouble free cow, as regards selling the rest, they're not for sale. I am 57 this year and have been milking cows since I was 6, please don't tell me I don't know my job.

Thank you @BELOWAVERAGE very kind of you to say.