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Know How / Dairy / Breeding and fertility

Good breeding and fertility management underpin profitable milk production in the dairy herd. Keep up with the latest information on dairy cow fertility, from genetics and genomics to heat detection, artificial insemination (AI), pregnancy diagnosis and calving intervals.

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DAIRY

How milk solids increased from fine-tuning genetic selection

Building up a spring-calving herd that produces a large proportion of its milk from grazed grass was a complete departure from David Homer’s previous way of breeding and farming his…

BREEDING AND FERTILITY

How a dairy farm pilot tackled conception and culling rates

Giving repeat breeders a holding injection after service has improved conception rates and reduced forced culls at New Manor Farm in Somerset. Like many dairy farmers, Martin Hawkins was frustrated…

LIVESTOCK

Why heat detection collars save time in autumn-block herd

Tail paint, once the foundation of block-calving fertility, has been replaced by heat detection collars in one 260-cow herd in Somerset. The old go-to for identifying cows on heat proved…

BREEDING AND FERTILITY

How a spring-calving herd is driving genetic gain

Using genomics alongside three breeding indexes to select bulls has put a Welsh spring-calving herd in the top rankings for fertility and protein production. Rhys Davies, who milks 100 Holstein…

DAIRY

How a Cheshire dairy is calving heifers at 23 months

Jeremy Platt and the team at Lea Hall Farm, Wimboldsley, Cheshire, are focused on solid heifer performance to average 23 months at first calving. Setting the foundations for this is…

DAIRY

Dairy wins sustainability award and reduces energy costs

Buckwell Lodge Farm won VetPartners dairy sustainability award this year for its work on improving genetics, cow health, grassland and soil management. Father and son team, Marcus and Sam Hunt,…

Practical advice

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BREEDING AND FERTILITY

Tips for ensuring cattle semen is stored safely and cleanly

How clean is the farm’s semen flask? Artificial insemination (AI) training, a starter pack including flask, guns and gloves, and a liquid nitrogen contract will fail to generate a return…

HEALTH AND WELFARE

Advice on how to maintain a tight calving block

Achieving a tight calving block is key to the success of a block-calving system. Typically, farms will aim for a calving period of nine to 12 weeks, with 75-80% of…

DAIRY

How to have a successful dairy transition – vet’s top tips

A tailored dry-cow ration that delivers easy calving, controls milk fever and makes high-quality colostrum is the best start to a successful transition period. Further measures include monitoring body condition…

DAIRY

4 ways to breed your dairy cows to cut feed bills

Soaring costs of milk production and squeezed margins are turning many dairy producers’ attention to cutting input costs. And with feed representing the largest variable cost, this bill is a…

BREEDING AND FERTILITY

Why recording sires could lead to better breeding outcomes

Millions of data points from abattoirs and farms are going to waste because farmers are opting not to record the sire on mandatory paperwork. Industry leaders say this is a…

LIVESTOCK

4 ways to further improve herd fertility

Many farmers could make big improvements to the fertility of their herds by paying greater attention to dry cow management, stable nutrition and routine vet visits. According to vet Graeme…

Insights

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BREEDING AND FERTILITY

Why genetics are critical for improving dairy cow fertility

Dairy cow fertility is at the heart of herd profitability, driving milk yields, cutting interventions and improving cow lifespans. Evidence supporting the role of genetics in improving fertility has accumulated…

LIVESTOCK

High-yielding herds top efficiency stakes

High-yielding dairy herds are more feed-efficient than low-yielding herds, but improvements must be made in cow fertility and longevity to lower methane emissions. A study of 21 farms across five…

DAIRY

Why milking robots are a good fit for Iceland’s dairies

About half of all dairy cows in Iceland are now milked through robots, with the fast-paced adoption of technology allowing farmers to enjoy a more laid-back way of life. With…

BREEDING AND FERTILITY

Why big cows are inefficient and how to breed smaller stock

Cows are getting bigger. UK dairy farmers are feeding and managing the equivalent of nearly five extra cows for every 100 in their herds, compared with 30 years ago. And…

DAIRY

Dairy fertility research reveals potential for further gains

The use of novel traits could be a way to accelerate genetic gain, according to the findings of a research project from New Zealand. In New Zealand, the Breeding Worth…

BREEDING AND FERTILITY

How pedigree breeds have changed in each sector

We looked at the latest data and spoke to industry experts to find out more about the changing picture for pedigree animals. We look at the dairy, beef, sheep and…