Cow scanning on farms at this stage of the production cycle, in spring calving herds, reveals that up to 10% of cows submitted for A.I. and presented at the incorrect stage of the estrous cycle. Cow scanning as shown, introduces either uterine infections or embryonic death. The problem is exacerbated on those farms attempting to achieve […]
Read MoreScanned a herd of 160 dairy cows in County Down. It is a father and son farming operation. The current cost of milk production is 25.1 pence per litre. They are currently getting 23.1 pence per litre. This means single farm payment is the sole profit in the business and it is being eroded by […]
Read MoreOn farm visits to County Down, a client informed me that he is waiting to cut his 2nd round of silage, while his neighbour already had his cut. This is in stark contrast to a number of farms down South, where the first cut silage has already been taken up. However it will be a […]
Read MoreVisited a dairy farmer in County Waterford, this client presented 40 heifers who were exposed to a stock bull for 6 weeks. The heifers were on an outside farm and observed by the clients father. No activity was observed from either the stock bull or the maiden heifers. He wanted to introduce the stock bull […]
Read MoreVisited 2 dairy herds in County Antrim, where the incidence of lameness and poor body condition score was over 40%. Scanning of cows identified over 95% of those cows with chronic lameness. Both clients plan to separate the cows identified as reproductively compromised. These cows will be cared for properly over the next 4 weeks […]
Read MoreOn a farm visit in County Tyrone. A client presented suckler cows for estrous synchronization and pregnancy diagnosis. He had synchronized estrous for the purposes of using a fixed time A.I. Programme and then use a sweeper bull to catch the repeats. The pregnancy rate to fixed time A.I. was 18% this was explained by […]
Read MoreVisited a client in Armagh, who presents cows at 6 week intervals for sexing and heat detection in an A.I. Programme. The incidence of embryonic death was 30% in cows presumed pregnant in cows served between 25 and 50 days. It transpired that due to grazed grass shortages because of the cold spell in may, […]
Read MoreOn a farm visit in County Kerry. A client presented dairy cows, as a pre-breed scan and for poor heat detection rates. Scanning revealed that cows presumed empty from last years breeding programme and kept in milk over the winter period were in calf. As the client put it ‘The bull wondered in a few […]
Read MoreOn 3 farm visits, a main feature was multiple ovulation rate around 15% and an increased incidence of embryonic mortality associated with twins.
Read MoreScanned a herd of cows in County Cork. Which was based on cows purchased primarily from 1 location, for a new farm. The breeding programme began on the 15th of April, however reproductive performance was extremely poor associated with undetected oestrus, ovarian cysts, and embryonic mortality. In my opinion, stress of re-establishing a new herd resulted […]
Read More
085 858 1985
