moleary1 | ReproDoc Ltd.

Fodder shortages result in feed transport from north to south and vice-versa

On a farm visit in Co. Antrim a farmer informed me that over 1,000 tonnes of silage were bought by a farmer in Co. Cork at £40 per tonne to be shipped from Moira, plus the cost of shipping from Moira to Cork. In another incidence a company with an anaerobic digester in Co. Antrim […]

Scanning cows reveals high anoestrus in suckler cows

On farm visits between Kilgarvan and Castletownbere revealed high levels of cows not cycling. Farmers have attempted to induce oestrus without success. This problem arises from a combination of body condition loss in the transition period to facilitate easier calving and poor quality silages resulting from a wet growing season in 2012. This carry on […]

Top graded weanlings on the beef herd make €295 a kilo

Visited clients in West Clare, who informed me that they got €295 per kilogram lightweight for weanling calves born last April. The average price was €970. Those cattle will be exported to Italy. These clients use a combination of excellent genetics, nutritional management and reproductive management services offered by Cows DNA.

Database linkage to USART (Ultrasonographic assessment of the reproductive tract) facilitates accurate scanning of cows

On a farm visit outside Athenry, Co. Galway, a client had a group of heifers in an outside farm. The identification marks using freeze branding were very poor. However, Cows DNA have built technology which enables the linkage of the passport number of the animal with the freeze brand. In this case scenario we were […]

Scanning cows reveals exorbitant cost of AI straws from a top Limousin sire

Visited a Limousin breeder outside Miltown Malbay in Co. Clare. This client informed me that a Limousin bull called ‘Vantastic’ has AI straws currently making €900 each. These straws could only be justified for use in superovulation and embryo transfer program.

Scanning cows in West Clare reveals excellent results from embryo transfer

Visited the ‘Doonbeg Pedigree Limousins’, in Doonbeg, Co. Clare, where we used USART to age and sex pregnancies after an embryo transfer program. 6 embryos were transferred resulting in 6 pregnancies, which were aged at 77 days and all gender sexed as females. The client was amazed at the results, however his attention to detail […]

Scanning cows reveals an excellent pregnancy rate in an autumn calving herd

Visited a dairy herd outside Conna, Co. Cork where the client presented 128 dairy cows, where a breeding programme started on the 6th of December 2012. The first three week pregnancy rate for the herd was 64% confirmed using USART developed by Cows DNA. This programme of USART enabled the client to address fertility problems […]

Scanning cows reveals reproductive performance for autumn calving herds

I scanned 3 autumn calving dairy herds in counties Wexford, Waterford and Tipperary. These herds entailed breeding programs which began the last week in November. 3 week pregnancy rates for the 3 herds were 15%, 26% and 22%, respectively. The poor reproductive performance on 2 of the herds was partly accounted for by abrupt dietary […]

Schlumberger virus and fodder shortages cause severe problems in dairy herds in England

A client informed me that a combination of Schlumberger virus and fodder shortages has caused a severe drop in milk yields in England. This partly explains the sudden demand for liquid milk from the Northern Ireland market to supply the U.K.

Scanning cows reveals ovulation from week 3 onwards post calving correlated with the calving to pregnancy interval

In a paper just published, showed that the interval from calving to pregnancy decreased as the interval from calving to 1st ovulation decreased. This pertained to cows scanned at 3, 4 and 5 weeks post calving. Caution should be exercised in that this experiment did not account for ovulations that took place from 10 to […]

Testimonials

I have been using Dr Dan Ryan’s services for the best part of 20 years now at this stage. I completely depend on the information I get from his service.

I do 4 scans during the year. The first scan is in early April to see that every cow is cycling properly and to see where there are problems in the herd.

The second scan is in the first few days in June. I get all cows served over 28 days, cows pregnant, late calvers and heifers. I also learn if there are any embryonic deaths from this scan.

The third scan is in the first week of July. I get cows gone 28 days checked and also check for any embryonic deaths.

The final scan is in mid September. I get a clear picture as to which cows are in calf or not. I get projected calving dates for the following Spring. This scan can pick up services that the stock bull would have performed that I may have missed. I may see cows on heat and yet the scan would confirm that they are in calf. Multiple pregnancies can be picked up as well.

If I see a cow doing something unusual during the breeding season Dan and his team are always at the end of the line for advice.
All the above information is invaluable.

Kieran & his mother Marie Irwin
Ballingarry, Co. Limerick