On a farm visit outside Tobermore, Co. Derry a dairy farmer informed me that a local road had a forced closure as the road collapsed. It transpired that badgers tunnelled beneath the road. The Department wanted the badgers to be able to take a different path through another section of the farmers land. The farmer […]
Read MoreA cow had previously undergone 3 superovulation programs, with a yield of 60 embryos. The client was shocked by the fact that the cow was pregnant. The cow had been administered prostaglandin to induce oestrus after the superovulation program. 22 embryos were recovered after the superovulation program. Scanning revealed that the complete luteolysis did not […]
Read More3 week old Friesian Holstein bull calves are making 10 pounds Sterling while Continental Limousin bulls are making 300 pounds Sterling at the same age. This client is using sexed semen from some of the top Holstein sires on his maiden heifers to generate replacements. Beef sires are used on the dairy cows which reduces […]
Read MoreVisited a farmer in County Louth where heat detection using a heat detector machine was a primary assessment tool on detecting heats. However, scanning revealed that 10% of false readings were given out by the heat detector.
Read MoreWe scanned 2 large dairy herds in Co. Waterford and Co. Kilkenny. Neither of these clients had to house cows during the wet summer months this year. The overall reproductive performance in those herds was the best they had seen for the previous 10 years. This would be in stark contrast to that seen in West Limerick […]
Read MoreWe scanned a herd of dairy cows in Co. Tipperary. Two cows, a mother and daughter, were scanned pregnant to the surprise of the owner in question. These animals had previously shown heats while pregnant, they were presumed empty and were for culling by the owner. Up to 10% of pregnant cows may show heat […]
Read More1.Ensure cows that are now six to seven months pregnant, but in poor body condition are prepared for drying off (per day). It will pay to feed 3kg of good quality ration supplemented with minerals meeting your herd requirements. 2. Silage analysis essential to determine concentrate and minerals required. 3. You need a […]
Read MoreI scanned a herd of British Friesian cows. We identified 10 sets of twins compared with only 2 sets in the same herd the previous year. This incidence of twins would be inordinately high for a British Friesian type cow. The client commented that dairy herd management is extremely difficult this year. This is associated with […]
Read MoreVisited a farm in Co. Tipperary where two men were waiting for me when I got to the yard. They had a batch of Limousin cross Friesian heifers for scanning. I innocently asked how long were they running with a stock bull. It transpired that a Charolais bull belonging to the other man broke into […]
Read MoreOn a farm call in Co. Cork where the client presented a suckler herd for pregnancy scanning she was worried that some of the cows may have reabsorbed pregnancies after an outbreak of ill-health in the herd. Her veterinary practice diagnosed toxaemia associated with the consumption of toxic vegetation. The recent inclement weather with poor […]
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