Scanning cows in the successful breeding herd

Visited a farmer in Co. Limerick who milks 50 cows in the spring months and 100 cows in the autumn months. He buys empty cows from dairy herds in the autumn. We scan the herd at this time of the year to assess reproductive status using U.S.A.R.T. Any cow with a reproductive problem is earmarked for culling. Those cows which are reproductively sound run with a stock bull for 2 months, we then scan them 3 months later.

This client claims, these cows purchased at an average of €400 this autumn will have covered there cost by the 1st of April 2013. Empty cows from the winter program, will be dried off, fattened and then slaughtered. Pregnant cows, will calf next autumn and will be sold as freshly calved cows.

There are biosecurity issues associated with this system of milk production. However, this client is making a profit from this business, which he claims is in excess of any grass based milk production system.

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