On calls today outside County Waterford with a client with a very high empty rate and identified that first and second lactation cows were the principal offenders. The client informed me that the animals suffered from severe outbreak of IBR. The youger animals in the herd would succumb faster to a disease outbreak than the older cows which have more resistance. In this senario, pregnancy rate to services will be poor and the recommendation to the client would be to carry over the empty cows until next spring and if needed to milk them once a day over the December and January period.
Dr.Dan
www.cows365.com