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Know How / Breeding and fertility

Case studies

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SHEEP

How a fine-wool flock is selecting for blowfly tolerance

A sheep bred for high-quality wool naturally has thin skin. The bonus is that this sheep is also naturally resistant to blowfly strike. The connection between skin thickness and strike…

SHEEP

Benefits of breeding values in lamb weights and ewe fertility

The only way of understanding the breeding potential of sheep is to use estimated breeding values (EBVs). However, they should always be used alongside traditional visual assessment to indicate functionality…

BEEF

How 15% replacement rate helped add £500 to heifer value

Improved cow longevity has given a Scottish suckler farmer the luxury of greater choice when selecting replacement females, leading to a valuable bulling heifer premium. Wigtownshire-based farmer Robert Parker of…

LIVESTOCK

Dairy tests genomics to unlock genetic gain in crossbred herds

Conwy dairy producer Eurof Edwards believes genomics will fast-track genetic gain in his split-block crossbred herd. Eurof milks 180 spring-calving cows and 120 autumn calvers at the 149ha (368-acre) Rhydeden…

BEEF

Shetland suckler herd targets fertility in simple system

Superstars are not wanted in Jamie Leslie’s 90-cow Angus suckler herd at Scholland Farm on Shetland. Breeding is kept simple with “nothing too fancy”, but a strong focus on fertility…

SHEEP

Ram alliance and outcross lift Devon breeder’s income

A Devon sheep breeder has used outcrossing and collaboration to lift income across his maternal and terminal stud flocks, respectively. Peregrine Aubrey, of Eastergrounds Farm, near Kingsbridge, has lifted prime…

Practical advice

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ASSESSING PERFORMANCE

How milk recording revival is identifying most efficient cows

Thirty years ago, milk recording was dropped from spring-calving herds intent on cutting out superfluous cost. Breeding replacements became a simple strategy that focused only on the most fertile cows…

DAIRY

Advice on running stock bulls with breeding heifers

According to AHDB data, natural mating is now used to produce fewer than 5% of dairy heifer replacements in the UK. However, with routine euthanasia of bull calves discouraged and…

BREEDING AND FERTILITY

Why breeding goals are key to optimise days in milk

In a block-calving herd, the earlier a cow calves, the more milk she can produce before the herd is dried off as one. This means it makes business sense to…

DAIRY

Benefits of a post-calving vet check for herd health

A post-calving vet check not only helps prevent subclinical endometritis, but it also lets the farm vet keep track of a herd’s overall health status. It is not just at-risk…

DAIRY

5 heritable traits to improve mastitis and cell counts

Udder health traits can have a profound effect on milk price and herd profitability.  Genetics are among many factors that have helped improve udder health, such as better tools for…

LIVESTOCK

How to get maiden heifers in-calf

Getting maiden heifers in-calf requires a farm-specific plan if an easy calving at 24 months of age, followed by a healthy, productive herd life, is to be achieved. Mating heifers…

Insights

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BEEF

Beef breeding index combines efficiency and environment gains

A beef breeding index that combines improvements in performance efficiency with a reduction in greenhouse gases is not only good for the environment and farm profit. It also offers a…

ASSESSING PERFORMANCE

Are smaller dairy cows a concern for the beef supply chain?

The drive for smaller dairy cows has gained momentum over recent years as more milk producers appreciate the efficiencies of a lower cow maintenance cost. But while this trend has…

DAIRY

Focus on functional traits pays off for organic dairy

Ten years of focusing on traits to breed the right kind of cows for their system and lifestyle has resulted in a uniform herd for organic milk producers Sophie and…

DAIRY

Dairy inbreeding target outdated, farmers advised

Dairy farmers should not compromise their herd’s genetic gain simply to avoid inbreeding, said the AHDB’s head of animal genetics, Marco Winters. Instead, monitoring the rate of inbreeding from one…

DAIRY

Big cows are a drain on dairy feed bills and the environment

UK dairy farmers are milking their best-ever Holstein cows, having improved all health and production traits through breeding selection. However, there is an “unfavourable trend in maintenance” which has become…

DAIRY

Poor heifer retention rates costing dairies dear

Dairy farmers expect genetic gain to reveal itself in their herds despite farm system constraints or a lack of resources. “It’s like producing Ferraris to put in a banger race,”…

LIVESTOCK

Heifer-rearing costs lacking on “too many farms”

Genetic potential is being lost because heifers are leaving dairy herds too soon. “Inefficient” heifer rearing is not only costing dairy farmers in lost performance, but is influencing the public’s…

BEEF

Suckler cow depreciation: Why it matters

Suckler producers looking to improve profitability should consider calculating cow depreciation and creating strategies to manage value loss in their herd. This is the advice of rancher and consultant Dallas…

BREEDING AND FERTILITY

Surrogate rams: An alternative to artificial insemination?

Surrogate rams could provide an alternative to artificial insemination, helping producers reach their sheep breeding goals, such as higher feed efficiency rates and lower environmental impact, more quickly. This could…

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…