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HEAT DETECT ION
AUTUMN 2013 ISSUE
LIVESTOCK MATTERS
24
One producer who has embraced the
technology and improved fertility, mainly
through more accurate heat detection, is
Shropshire producer Tim Downes. He’s
recently shifted the calving pattern of his 250
cross bred organic herd from two blocks to
one spring 12-week period.
‘This is really a lifestyle choice,’ says Tim who
farms with his father and wife Louise ‘It suits
our farm and growing season too. But the
success of our system relies on getting cows in
calf, and picking up heats is vital. We can’t
really catch up if we miss serving cows.’
This was the reasoning behind Tim’s initial
interest in the electronic heat detection system
Silent Herdsman. ‘We took the plunge and
bought it two years ago. All cows were fitted
with the collar with its transponder that
downloads movement information wirelessly
to the PC monitor.’
Improvements in submission and pregnancy
rates have been monitored. ‘We serve cows
from May 1 to the end of July and by early
August this year we’d PD’ed two thirds of
cows and 85.5% of them were in calf,’
adds Tim.
Overall fertility is improving as planned at
The Farm at Longnor with the calving to first
service interval at 68 days, an improvement
of 14 days in 12 months, and conception
rate to first service up 10% to just over 54%.
First service submission rate is now 75%.
As well as good results, Tim has improved the
system further by installing a segregation gate
that directs cows as they leave the parlour
depending whether they are on heat. Regular
updates to the parlour software that ‘speaks’
to the gate means that it knows which cows
to ‘syphon’ off. ‘It’s far less stressful for the
cows and easier for us.’
While staff still note bulling cows manually
when they see them, Tim knows they are
monitoring activity far more accurately with a
sophisticated electronic system. ‘But it also
flags up those with reduced activity. ‘Quiet’
cows and any abnormal patterns in behaviour
also get onto our radar.’
Tim’s vet, James Marsden from Shropshire
Farm Vets, is a true convert to electronic heat
detection. ‘The benefits really come to the
forefront in Tim’s herd where the aim is to get
as many cows as possible to calve in the first
three weeks of the calving season.’ Two
factors affect this; the submission rate then the
conception rate,’ he says. ‘Conception rates
rely on many factors such as body condition,
nutrition, health and timing of service. But the
submission rate is solely dependent on heat
detection - the better the heat detection, the
better submission rate.’
James is in no doubt that the access to 24/7
activity data and being able to pick up
patterns from Tim’s Silent Herdsman is playing
a major part in picking up more heats and
helping to avoid mis-timed AI, and its
associated problems.
‘Excellent heat detection is a prerequisite of
progressive dairy farming,’ adds James.
‘Heats must be picked up throughout the
day and night and abnormalities sorted out
quickly. Proven electronic systems can do this;
it is certainly helping Tim achieve an even
shorter calving period, which in turn plays its
part in easier herd management, better health
and welfare for the herd and more profit on
the bottom line.’
Tim Downes using his heat detection system
Tim Downes’ cows