Know How / Breeding and fertility Case studiesSee all SHEEPHow a Romney flock is adapting to frequent droughtsRepeat periods of drought have highlighted the value of selecting resilient forage crops and breeding animals at Dineley Farming, near Shaftesbury, Dorset. Perin Dineley says the business, which is home… SHEEPHow a fine-wool flock is selecting for blowfly toleranceA 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… SHEEPBenefits of breeding values in lamb weights and ewe fertilityThe 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… BEEFHow 15% replacement rate helped add £500 to heifer valueImproved 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… LIVESTOCKDairy tests genomics to unlock genetic gain in crossbred herdsConwy 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… BEEFShetland suckler herd targets fertility in simple systemSuperstars 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… Practical adviceSee all ASSESSING PERFORMANCEHow milk recording revival is identifying most efficient cowsThirty 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… DAIRYAdvice on running stock bulls with breeding heifersAccording 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 FERTILITYWhy breeding goals are key to optimise days in milkIn 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… DAIRYBenefits of a post-calving vet check for herd healthA 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… DAIRY5 heritable traits to improve mastitis and cell countsUdder 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… LIVESTOCKHow to get maiden heifers in-calfGetting 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… InsightsSee all SHEEPWhy there's still time to target ewe condition before tuppingLean ewes that were body condition scored post-weaning and moved onto a better diet should now be gaining weight steadily before tupping to reach a target body condition score of… BEEFBeef breeding index combines efficiency and environment gainsA 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 PERFORMANCEAre 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… DAIRYFocus on functional traits pays off for organic dairyTen 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… DAIRYDairy inbreeding target outdated, farmers advisedDairy 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… DAIRYBig cows are a drain on dairy feed bills and the environmentUK 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… DAIRYPoor heifer retention rates costing dairies dearDairy 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,”… LIVESTOCKHeifer-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… BEEFSuckler cow depreciation: Why it mattersSuckler 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 FERTILITYSurrogate 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 FERTILITYWhy genetics are critical for improving dairy cow fertilityDairy 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… LIVESTOCK5 must-knows about feed efficiency indexesPaying more attention to feed efficiency indexes when selecting sires for dairy herds will help compensate the escalating costs of feed being witnessed today. With that in mind, dairy farmers…
