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Heat Detection Patches

  • 29-07-2010 12:42PM
    #1
    krazyklown
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 258 ✭✭


    Hi, anyone ever use heat detection patches? are they any good or any brand to go for or avoid? Also what price roughly?

    Go raibh maith agat!


Comments

  • #2
    Dunedin
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,638 ✭✭✭Dunedin


    krazyklown wrote: »
    Hi, anyone ever use heat detection patches? are they any good or any brand to go for or avoid? Also what price roughly?

    Go raibh maith agat!


    I used them a couple of years ago. they worked exactly like lottery scratch cards. The problem(s) I found wiht them is that the cow that is on will also rise on other cows so you end up with both patches marked and often it was very difficult to know exactly which cow was on.

    They weren't brilliant for staying on either - many of them fell off even though I followed the instructions rigidly. i have no idea of the brand i used - all i know is I got them from Progressive Genetics adn they weren't that dear.

    maybe there are better types to use so don't just go on my experience as I only tried it one season and it didn't work for me.


  • #3
    reilig
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,401 ✭✭✭reilig


    krazyklown wrote: »
    Hi, anyone ever use heat detection patches? are they any good or any brand to go for or avoid? Also what price roughly?

    Go raibh maith agat!

    I have used various types for the last number of years. Started out using tail paint, but didn't find it to be accurate enough and it had to be reapplied too often. Used the Kamar patches for a year or two, they were ok, but hard applied and didn't stick very well. Used the ckeck mate patches up until this year. they're a bit awkward seeing that you have to put them into hot water to make them work, but they do stick well. Kamar and check mate work on the same principal - a little bubble which changes colour when they are mounted. they are reasonably good, but the bubble can often be triggered to change colour if the cow brushes off a tree branch or if another cow that is coming in heat jumps on her or manages to hit the patch in some way.

    This year a local co-op had an offer for the estrotect patches at €1 each and i bought a pack. i must say i am impressed with what I initially thought would be a waste of money. They are like scratchcards, the cover rubs off them when the cow is mounted and shows a very visible illuminous colour. There are very few false shows in comparison to the checkmate or kamar patches. If the cow is not standing in heat, then the patch will not scratch off properly and can still be left on teh cows back to identify when she does come in heat. They are extremely easy to apply - self adhesive and just keep them in your pocket to bring them up to body temperature, peel the back off them and stick them on the back bone half way between the tail and the rear shoulder. if they rubbed off a bush, there would be a small scratch on the patch, but it could still be left on the cow.

    As already mentioned, they were roughly half thh price of any other patches and in my opinion, they were more reliable, stayed stuck on better and were very visible when the cow was actually in heat, even if she was not standing in heat by the time that you got to look at her. They made AI a little bit easier for me this year.

    hope it helps.


  • #4
    vanderbadger
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,087 ✭✭✭vanderbadger


    used the kamar ones this year, found them ok, the ones i took the time to put on properly stayed on, the ones i tried to do quickly came off :rolleyes:
    they were cheap enough anyway, bought them from farmrite.co.uk


  • #5
    Pacoa
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 520 ✭✭✭Pacoa


    I've used kamars before and this year used estrotect scratch cards. I'd prefer the kamars once their put on properly. The scratch cards stayed on very well (better than i expected) but they seemed to wear gradually over time so i was never really sure if a cow was on or not. The kamars were costing about 2.50 each and the estrotect cost me 1.70 in the vets.(should have tried the co-op)


  • #6
    krazyklown
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 258 ✭✭krazyklown


    thanks lads thats a great help, good to get first hand experience!


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  • #7
    theroad
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 167 ✭✭theroad


    I bought Estrotect from Violet Nevin (google her) for around €1.20 each. I only used them on the heifers and they worked well. The thing is to make sure the patch is warm enough before using it, otherwise the glue doesn't stick properly.


  • #8
    Muckit
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,173 ✭✭✭✭Muckit


    Have used 'checkmate' and 'heatseek'. Checkmate patches (as stated previously) need to be dipped in hot water to help glue to stick, heatseeker patches do not. Also important to say that they need to be applied in the right direction (arrows on sticker), seems simple, but when your doin a good few cows/heifers, it is easy to stick one on wrong!:rolleyes:

    I'd agree 100% with what has been said previously. They are not foolproof and can give false detections if cow rubs off branches.

    Also they though just as they say, a heat detection 'aid'. They should be used in conjunction with your own observations of heat and dates relating to that cow.

    They haven't come out with one yet either that'I ring the AI man and coax her into the crush!!:D wishful thinking!!


  • #9
    Pacoa
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 520 ✭✭✭Pacoa


    Anyone have the heattime system? Is it worth paying 10k for 50 cows?


  • #10
    whelan1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11,786 ✭✭✭✭whelan1


    i have the heat time system its great cost me 20k+ vat for 100 collars plus the crush... use it alot in the winter for the autumn calvers . Also used it for drafting out cows great job


  • #11
    dar31
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,705 ✭✭✭dar31


    anyone that has heat time swears by it. tightens up calving pattern, shorter calving interval, more heifers calves on the ground, a good few in discussion group has it.

    whealan 1 20k sounds dear were there any extras with that.

    used kmars before, worked good in spring time, in the autumn, cows kept setting them off in cubicles when they lay down, would have been as well trowing in bin that time.
    tail paint the only way cheapest and most accurate, dose take a bit of work thought, might not suit suckles or part timers


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  • #12
    whelan1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11,786 ✭✭✭✭whelan1


    we have the crush aswell , thats what brings the price up the collars are the guts of 100 euro each then the screens and detection gear and the crush- which is the big part


  • #13
    Pacoa
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 520 ✭✭✭Pacoa


    use it alot in the winter for the autumn calvers


    What about the summer time? Does it work as well on grass and do you get any false alerts?


  • #14
    whelan1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11,786 ✭✭✭✭whelan1


    well i have a bull with the cows during the summer, but when the cows are out it works fine , although one time when i sent the cows to the furthest away paddock after being in the closest one it picked out 73 cows for being in heat - ai man would have loved me that day - it works like a pedometer and goes by their activity for the day, picks up alot of heats that i would never have seen the cows bulling and the ai man would say they where deffo on


  • #15
    Waddy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 37 ✭Waddy


    hardy bull weanling lad better than anything!


  • #16
    whelan1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11,786 ✭✭✭✭whelan1


    yes but some of the lads on here where saying that they notice the cows bulling too early iykwim.... where the heat time comes in is where it picks up short or silent heats


  • #17
    Sam Kade
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,297 ✭✭✭✭Sam Kade


    whelan1 wrote: »
    yes but some of the lads on here where saying that they notice the cows bulling too early iykwim.... where the heat time comes in is where it picks up short or silent heats
    Wouldn't it be a lot cheaper just to use tail paint and use PRID on cows with silent heats? Alternatively use AI for the first 6 weeks then let a bull with the cows.


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