Heat detection system for suckler herd

[Bootneck]

Hi, I'm thinking of applying for a 40 % grant from the countryside productivity scheme for a heat detection system for my suckler herd. I have 40 cows, housed from Nov - march approx. currently I hire a bull in every year but would like to try ai. Any advice on systems etc would be appreciated.

 

[Ted M]

I don't know much about heat detection systems but we tried AI in our sucklers several years ago and were quite disappointed with the results.
Stuck with having our own bull since, he does all the detection we need.
Obviously depends on what you want to achieve though

 

[topground]

Kamars and twice daily observation with AI morning and night is as complicated as it needs to get with a spring calving herd, Kamars don’t work as well if you are serving cows when housed.

 

[AGN76]

Tail chalk and am/pm ai here.

 

[RMSLLOYD]

Genus breedertag.

 

[Anymulewilldo]

Does 40 cows not merit a good stock bill of your own? Got too be better than hiring one surely?

 

[Monty]

Dairy here but started using estrotect scratch cards this year. They are fantastic. They have already picked out many heats which we wouldn't have spotted otherwsie. We found tail paint to be rubbish and I hear kamars can go off too easily and give false heats.

 

[epfarms]

For a beef herd running a bull I would look at the MooCall Heat. Good value option if you are only breeding for part of the year. If you wanted to AI, you could put the the collar on a teaser bull for a period of time.
If you’re looking at the “proper” systems, the Allflex ones and Nedap ones are both good

 

[Banktopman]

Genus Breedertag here and have no complaints. It has certainly improved our timings of serves (diy) which i think has been a factor in our increased conception rates. 45 cows, 41 in calf in a 10 week block.

 

[Agriclegend]

I have the Smaxtec system and got it with the grant. All AI here and it also does calving detection.

 

[Agriclegend]

Helen Hollingsworth at Smaxtec is very helpful. I had it on trial.

 

[j6891]

I have the Smaxtec system and got it with the grant. All AI here and it also does calving detection.

This is the bolus system? I have looked at this before. What company did u get yours through and ball park cost? Pm if prefer. Thanks

 

[Agriclegend]

Yes, bolus system. I got it through Mole Valley but Smaxtec are now selling it direct. I don't know that they sell it any other way now.

 

[Agriclegend]

Cost-wise it has changed since I got it but there were pros and cons. I think they have also brought out a new system.

 

[vanderbadger]

I have the Smaxtec system and got it with the grant. All AI here and it also does calving detection.

how do you rate it so far?

 

[Hummin-Cummins]

Have you considered synchronising with fixed time AI? Would potentially only need to monitor 5-10 bulling in the second cycle then

 

[packie L]

Has anyone else encountered this issue with moocall heat senor. In my 2nd year using it. Last year it worked fine but this year it missed a load of cows heats. Contacted them and they said I needed to replace tags on cows not reading. That was 5 cows out of 19
I wasn't impressed, delayed my AI serves by 21 days. Wondering will I be retagging every year if I persist. Also used the calving sensor and similar story, fine last year but missed the first couple this year, faulty device due to broken antenna was the root cause. They said they'd replace it for free and expected me to be grateful. They hardly expected me to pay for a service that doesn't work.