Fixed time AI on Sucklers

jfh

following on from another thread, about AI'ing sucklers where we were discussing the pro's & cons of AI over stock bull. Some were suggesting synchronising cows. I decided to look into this further;

the first option is to do it myself, I'm told it's relatively easy but tbh i don't feel comfortable doing this especially considering the cost
lutalyse & CIDR * 10 cows = 245 euro, that's before the cost of AI.

the second option is to get the vet out
245 + 60 vet call fee + 120 per hour, again before AI

very difficult to justify the cost esp when numbers are high.

i think i will give the cows a shot of lutalyse & see how we get on first

Mooooo

How far are you from breeding? What I'm doing, which is easier with dairy I know, is recording heats pre breeding and then any cows that haven't come in will get scanned by vet and treated accordingly. Timing will then be right with the cows. If you know where they are in the cycle you can use lutalyse more effectively if you want and the vet will only be dealing with ones that need his/ her attention.

trg

I'm thinking of going along the lines of trying to AI before they go out of the shed say 10 days apart in 3 batches.

Calving in Dec and January would suit me. Currently it runs from Dec to May. We have long winters too.

The cost wouldn't bother me at the rate if it worked. Think you'd get it back in much increased efficiency.

I would probably need to study a bit more and I think be fairly ruthless culling

mr.stonewall

trg wrote: »

I'm thinking of going along the lines of trying to AI before they go out of the shed say 10 days apart in 3 batches.

Calving in Dec and January would suit me. Currently it runs from Dec to May. We have long winters too.

The cost wouldn't bother me at the rate if it worked. Think you'd get it back in much increased efficiency.

I would probably need to study a bit more and I think be fairly ruthless culling

Hard culling pays off. The first priority is the cow must go in calf, calve on own and rear a calf with out much help. That is the foundation to sucklers

It's nearly as easy to do them all in one go and have a free loose pens set up for calving. They will be spread out a bit at calving any way and with different bull and cows calving to heifers and bull calves, it will spread to 2-3 weeks

Only concern I would have is that 24 hrs before serving it will be mental with all stock bulling indoors. Safer if they were outside for that period. Last year it rained the evening before serving and the cows and heifers plough ground goodo. And that was summer

trg

mr.stonewall wrote: »

Hard culling pays off. The first priority is the cow must go in calf, calve on own and rear a calf with out much help. That is the foundation to sucklers

It's nearly as easy to do them all in one go and have a free loose pens set up for calving. They will be spread out a bit at calving any way and with different bull and cows calving to heifers and bull calves, it will spread to 2-3 weeks

Only concern I would have is that 24 hrs before serving it will be mental with all stock bulling indoors. Safer if they were outside for that period. Last year it rained the evening before serving and the cows and heifers plough ground goodo. And that was summer

Couldn't agree more about your comment on foundation.

Accurate observation on the dancing going on in the shed before bulling alright but like most things if you're aware of those things you may be able to plan for them.

We would by putting the bulling cows and calves into calving pens that night. Would an outside sacrifice paddock help too?

Kicked it around a bit with the boss this morning he was moving the late calvers around on their own (they'll be moved back in later in evening, every evening, not sure why) so he seemed to like the idea of calving and breeding in the shed.

One cow is not going to calf until May 1st and the likelihood is that she'll be weaned on November 1st at the latest. Meaning she's a passenger for c. 6 months. She won't be culled though I'd say.

Anyway as a step along the road.....could the later group (say the 5 that calve in April) get something to bring them bulling 50 days after calving?

It might bring them back to calving in Mid Feb or Early March. It would be a start.