Improve suckler efficiency by studying calving

Improving suckler herd efficiency by studying calving period, barren rate, genetics and health status has boosted performance on one Somerset farm.

Suckler herds calving within a four-month period – as compared with five months – produce, on average, an extra 51kg liveweight gain for every livestock unit (LU) at sale.

Research from Pierce Kelly, beef specialist with Ireland’s Agriculture and Food Development Agency’s (Teagasc), showed a resulting extra €80 a head gross output for every LU.

Less than 10% of UK suckler cow producers calve 90% of their herd within a nine-week period, with the UK average levelling at five months. “There aren’t many suckled calves that can’t put on 1kg/day, explained Keith Barrow, who farms at Higher Halsey Cross Farm, Somerset, with his father Ray and sons James and George.

“When calves are worth, say, £2/kg liveweight in the autumn, we calculated how much potential our cows were not realising. A February-born calf looks like a little bullock in the autumn but a May-born calf is still a May-born calf in the buyers’ eyes,” he said during a National Beef Association farm walk organised by the South West branch.

The family runs 200 British Blue cross suckler cows alongside a rearing business based on an annual turnover of about 500 bought-in calves. These are either sold on for further fattening at 14-16 weeks old or are finished on farm before going to ABP at 290kg to 340kg. Shaplier heifer calves go to Chelford when 8-12 months old where they are in demand from fatstock showing producers.

“Ten years ago we were calving in both the autumn and spring and there was too much slack in the system,” explained Mr Barrow. “This decision was driven by a fear of a poor cull price but, in fact, it also led to many other problems.”

Now the family aim to produce 60% of their calves in the first month (end of February), with 80% on the ground by the beginning of April. This year the Barrows synchronised 50 cows to calve in February 2012 to their high merit British Blue bull from which they have taken semen. At a total cost of £19 a cow for the synchronisation programme, even if they do not all calve then, it should help to start the breeding season earlier.

“We also wanted to increase heifer size. Bringing the calving period forward has allowed for heifer replacements to grow more prior to bulling, while also reducing disease risk as these bigger heifers are able to bull earlier and produce a tighter calving pattern,” explained Mr Barrow.

Reducing barren rates

Barren rates and calf mortality have also reduced through a close relationship with their veterinary practice, FarmVets SouthWest.

The Barrows struggled to get first-time calvers pregnant again: Ten years ago this barren rate was 40%. Nutrition levels, in terms of dietary energy, were the first area of investigation, but results were satisfactory. Attention then turned to copper, and again tests were negative. However, the area is well known for high levels of molybdenum. This ties up copper and hence cancels its benefit as the most important micro-nutrient affecting fertility. As soon as this issue was addressed by a whole-herd supplement prior to bulling, the calved heifer barren rate dropped to 11%.

To date, the overall herd barren rate has halved from 18% in 1999 with a target of 5% in the near future. This year, four barreners were the results of tears at calving, another had a caesarean so just two were true barreners.

70% of barreners in this country have no reproductive problems, explained Art McAlonan from FarmVets SouthWest. “They are the result of management inefficiency,” he said. “The most important variable in suckler cow performance is dietary energy. Condition score is vital to a tight calving pattern.”

Addressing health issues

In today’s market, dead calves are a significant financial loss. At Higher Halsey Cross this year 19 of the 207 calvings resulted in a dead calf. Half of this happened at calving.

One area investigated was iodine deficiency. Although adult cattle are able to store iodine, unborn calves cannot. Those suffering from deficiency are therefore stillborn, born big and dozy or the cows are very slow calving. “We rectify this problem here by pouring iodine solution along the cows’ backs a month prior to calving,” said Mr Barrow.

“Twelve years ago when we started to look into the herd’s performance we found the losses were not just a fertility issue,” explained Mr McAlonan. “There were too many blind calves – which is a classic symptom of BVD. Abortion is another indicator – depending at which stage of pregnancy the infection is introduced.

“So we introduced a vaccination programme. And it is very important to remember to vaccinate twice in the first year – so even though you only give cows one jab annually thereafter, replacement heifers must have the two injections.”

Calves scouring one to two weeks post calving are usually infected with rotavirus. If scouring occurs one to two days post calving it is more likely to be an E coli outbreak.

“Rotavirus has been controlled by vaccinating with Rotavec Corona three weeks prior to calving because the only way calves get protection is via colostrum,” said Mr Barrow.

The effect of this comprehensive programme has been just 1% of calves scouring this year – the result of a cryptospirium infection detected through dung samples.

To avoid pneumonia, the Barrows aim to prevent rather than treat outbreaks. Reducing stocking density is an important factor, but increased ventilation is vital.

“The cheapest way to ensure sheds are well ventilated is to simulate smoke bombs by lighting damp hay,” said Mr McAlonan. “When smoke hangs around the shed it shows calves are vulnerable to airborne viruses.”