On a farm visit outside Kilmallock where 120 dairy cows and 37 replacement heifers were presented for scanning. The breeding programme lasted 84 days with 57 days of AI and a stock bull with both the cows and heifers for the remaining month. The overall empty rate in the dairy cows was 23% and of […]
Read MoreVisited a dairy farm outside Kilfinane, Co. Limerick with a Holstein dairy herd. Adverse weather conditions have left it difficult to use tail-painting as a tool for oestrus detection. Cows were housed indoors and the client had no option but to continue a breeding programme with cows calving into June next year. Pregnancy rates to […]
Read MoreOn a farm visit in Co. Monaghan, we had another farm visit where calving dates uploaded from an existing database to my scanner revealed cows in calf greater than when cows calved. A bureaucratic system of payments for beef has encouraged farmers to delay registering their calves. In addition I have encountered delaying registration in […]
Read MoreI scanned a maiden heifer which had abnormal structure to her uterine horns. She was the strongest of her comrades not confirmed pregnant. A client informed me that this heifer suffers from sunburn (photosynthesization). As a result this heifer’s womb became affected by this event, and so was classified a G2 status which means there […]
Read MoreOn farm visits in West Kerry revealed that many farmers were not able to make hay or silage. Cattle have had to be housed indoors. Poor quality baled silage is making €30.00 with up to €80.00 for top quality bales of silage.
Read MoreOur farm visits in Co. Kerry focused on identifying empty cows and sexing pregnancies. All farmers are planning to sell surplus in calf heifers and cows scanned pregnant, which would calf after the middle of April next year. Sexing of pregnancies in maiden heifers, enables farmers to retain those heifers carrying heifer calves and sell […]
Read MoreWe had to scan 4 dairy herds for reproductive performance in Co. Limerick. The 11 week pregnancy rate for cows confirmed greater than or equal to 30 days pregnant was, 59% of 98 cows, 89% of 71 cows, 95% of 101 cows, and 97% of 74 cows from 4 dairy herds respectively. The low figure […]
Read MoreOn calls in West Clare, farmers had to rehouse cattle due to the inclement weather. The cost of baled silage has hit €30. While the cost of woodchip material, which is commonly used as bedding material for housing animals has hit €1,200 for 15 tones.
Read MoreFarmers in Co. Limerick told me that grass supply has been limited by the availability of aftergrass subsequent to the second cut silage. Many second cuts should have been harvested 2 to 3 weeks ago. The quality of second cut silages can be expected to deteriorate.
Read MoreOn farm visits today, in Co. Limerick where client’s revealed that they had to treat their in calf maiden heifers for Coccidiosis. I have encountered clinical cases of this disease whereby rectal palpation revealed very tender rectal wall. One client informed us that it costs in excess of €1000 to treat 33 of his in […]
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