Fine tuning diet in order to improve fertility rates
Fine tuning diet in order to improve fertility rates
YOU are what you eat – that applies to dairy cows as well as humans, as one Cheshire unit found when trying to improve fertility rates in its 850 cows.
Phil Latham told conference delegates that after four years of weekly vet visits, hormone treatments and metabolic profiles, no improvement was seen in the 42% conception rate. Herdsmans ability to detect heat was called into question, which did nothing for morale, he added.
After a visit from Dutch vet Dirk Zaaijer attention was focused on nutrition and Mr Latham realised that compromised feeding meant that fewer viable eggs were produced. That has made him question the use of extended grazing systems for high genetic merit cows.
Cows are now monitored for abnormal cycling, such as cysts and endometritis, from three weeks calved to service. When too many abnormalities are found the diet is either unbalanced or insufficient, said Mr Latham.
"Fertility has now increased, as shown in the 59% conception rate, and experience has shown us that the % of abnormal cycling cows correlates with conception rates."
In addition, cows body condition score, rumen fill, consistency of manure and cudding behaviour was closely observed to assess the rations suitability. But not all infertility is caused by feeding, so disease levels are also monitored.
"Although we have high genetic merit cows and high yields, fertility has been maintained and hormonal treatments now cost £2.82 a cow rather than £15.84. The overall benefit of monitoring abnormal cycling is 2.16p/litre."
Mr Latham also believed that NMR fertility data was masking the true picture of the UKs fertility problem. "NMR results show 47-51% conception rates, which is like reading Enid Blyton when compared with scientific research which records a 39% figure." *