Fertility targets

[stablegirl]

DIM should typically be calving interval minus dry period divided by 2.

So 400 day calving 60 days dry should be 170, often it's slightly above this as it's skewed by retaining culls!

 

[Scholsey]

A 50% submission rate is poor if you ask me, we are constantly 85% plus, granted it’s block calving but if you don’t present enough bulling cows then you’ve no chance of improving fertility. Can never understand why AYR herds don’t make a better job when the cows are mostly housed it’s so easy to go in the shed and monitor them

Why dry at cow off at 280 days when she could still be doing 40+ kg of milk! There are already too many calf's for the beef industry to cope with and its only going to get worse!

 

[Fergieman]

12 month average for AYR calving

IR 63.6%
PR 27.3%
CR 45.2%
Average DIM 146
Preg 1st Insemination 56%

We suffered a bit with the drought last summer and are suffering from the wet this summer.

 

[dinderleat]

Why dry at cow off at 280 days when she could still be doing 40+ kg of milk! There are already too many calf's for the beef industry to cope with and its only going to get worse!

Because she will calve at 330 days

 

[Scholsey]

Because she will calve at 330 days

A high yielding AYR housed herd and a low yielding blocking grazed herd are very different systems that don’t need the same fertility performance.

 

[Rossymons]

Those of you using DIM to monitor fertility, what would be a good target to aim for?
I would assume unless you’re a totally flat calving pattern, this could soon get skewed.

The majority of the herds I work with are in the 180-190 DIM range.

You're correct though that it can be skewed quite quickly. We often see it when heifers calve in as a big group, get back in calf relatively quickly and then calve back in with their 2nd calf.

 

[More to life]

DIM should typically be calving interval minus dry period divided by 2.

So 400 day calving 60 days dry should be 170, often it's slightly above this as it's skewed by retaining culls!

The lower the better but sub 180 days seems about right

 

[dinderleat]

A high yielding AYR housed herd and a low yielding blocking grazed herd are very different systems that don’t need the same fertility performance.

Disagree more than achievable

 

[dinderleat]

12 month average for AYR calving

IR 63.6%
PR 27.3%
CR 45.2%
Average DIM 146
Preg 1st Insemination 56%

We suffered a bit with the drought last summer and are suffering from the wet this summer.

Are you pure friesian though 9k yields?

 

[stablegirl]

Disagree more than achievable

Which measures would you use dinderleat? I think its difficult to find measures that work for both systems.

I think one of the things that puts block calvers ahead is they dont persevere with cow 78 becasue shes still giving 30 litres and shes a "good old lass" even though shes 350DIM.

 

[Rossymons]

Involuntary culls for fertility would work across both systems - how many cows are leaving herds because of poor fertility?

 

[stablegirl]

Involuntary culls for fertility would work across both systems - how many cows are leaving herds because of poor fertility?

No that's to subjective, you'd find tbe people that did well often just kept serving them.

 

[lazy farmer]

Cows average weight 480

KGs sold ?

 

[Rossymons]

No that's to subjective, you'd find tbe people that did well often just kept serving them.

Valid point.

150d not in calf?

 

[pappuller]

Which measures would you use dinderleat? I think its difficult to find measures that work for both systems.

I think one of the things that puts block calvers ahead is they dont persevere with cow 78 becasue shes still giving 30 litres and shes a "good old lass" even though shes 350DIM.

Anything that's pd- at 200 days doesn't another chance, that's one rule we don't bend

 

[In the pit]

KGs sold ?

Cows weighed

 

[lazy farmer]

Cows weighed

Was wondering what your output is per cow verses cow weight. Trying to work out whether our probable 110% of cow weight this season is just too much.

 

[Holsteinfriesian90]

12 month average for AYR calving

IR 63.6%
PR 27.3%
CR 45.2%
Average DIM 146
Preg 1st Insemination 56%

We suffered a bit with the drought last summer and are suffering from the wet this summer.

Sexed semen?

 

[I thats it]

Thanks for the replies, I don't milk record so the only easy to get information is what the computer works out for me (fullwood crystal). Currently 86 in milk
dim 162
Over 60 days but not served 1
Over 200 days but not pd+ 6 but 3 of those are on the cull list.
Is this information useful and if so are those figures acceptable?

 

[In the pit]

Was wondering what your output is per cow verses cow weight. Trying to work out whether our probable 110% of cow weight this season is just too much.

We normally do 4000/4500 lots per cow but we seem to be up this year
Biggest thing is condition score at calving 3/3.25 and making sure they don't loose more than half a score within 4/6 weeks after calving