Achieving reproductive excellence is about much more than proper insemination techniques. A number of factors come into play.
Top performing reproductive herds around the world have something in common – they pay close attention to details – especially in the following five areas. While these tips may sound simple, following through on these areas of management is easier said than done.
These five success factors can help guide you in where to focus any management improvement on your dairy.
1. Compliance
Synchronization protocols are all about compliance. If we miss just 10 percent of the shots that are to be given each time, we end up with only 65 percent of cows that are actually properly synchronized. This has a huge effect on conception rates for synchronized heats. If your conception rate is substantially lower for synchronized heats than natural heats, this is the first place to look – and act.
2. Employee/technician commitment
There is a relationship between retaining good employees and reproductive success. The herds with the best reproduction have very alert and aware employees, plus high employee retention. Commitment to training, development, and some form of reward system can help drive that.
3. Proper transition and calving
Well-grown heifers that have a nutritionally sound diet, enter the pre-fresh group on time, and have proper body condition at calving all lead to an easier calving process. The same goes for mature cows.
Easier, shorter calvings contribute to healthier appetites. And healthy appetites lead to fewer metabolic problems, which results in more fertile cows when it comes time to breed.
4. Good mastitis control
There is certainly a relationship between SCC and reproduction. Dairies with the highest pregnancy rates also have lower somatic cell counts! Clean, dry environments and consistent milking routines can contribute to mastitis control.
5. Proper nutrition
Cows with sub-clinical acidosis show fewer signs of estrus, and therefore the heat detection rate is generally lower in these cows. The lag time between the onset of sub-clinical acidosis and reproductive problems makes this hidden problem difficult to measure, but it is one of the most frustrating because it has no quick fix.
However, preventative measures can help avoid drastic declines in fertility. Just a few of these dietary measures include avoiding abrupt switches to a ration highly concentrated in grain for fresh cows, and avoiding overmixing the total mixed ration (TMR) to prevent breakdown of feed particle size and sorting in the feed bunk.
Source: Alta Genetics
