11 / 20
SPRING 2016 ISSUE
LIVESTOCK MATTERS
10
HERD FERT I L I TY
‘Moreover, by taking a proactive approach,
only 17% of animals were empty at the end of
the breeding period, compared with 28% in
the Control group; that equates to 11 animals
per 100 cows that would still not be in-calf
and need to be removed from the herd.
‘This has a big financial impact on these
grazing-based farms, because here, a cow is
either in-calf in the block, or not-in-calf and a
candidate for culling.’
Block calving at Brookhouse
Farm
One of the farms involved in Dave’s
synchronisation trial was Brookhouse Farm
near Stafford. It is one of two dairy farms
managed by Ian Lightfoot. Here, 290 cows
are calved down in an 11-week block starting
mid-February and continuing into April.
Ian explains: ‘Block calving keeps things
simple for us. We can concentrate on one job
at a time. Aside from myself, we have one full
time herdsman here, with relief milkers and
extra stockmen at busy times.
‘We aim to have 75% of the herd in-calf to AI
in the first six weeks of the breeding block,
and these will be the source of the heifer
replacements. This drives everything else we
do. Another target is for no more than 10% to
be empty by the end of week 11.
‘We want to have 90% of the herd calved in
the first six weeks so that cows have not only
more days in milk but also more days making
milk from grass,’ adds Ian.
Breeding protocol
At Brookhouse Farm, cows are given a
pre-mating examination by the herdsman, four
weeks before the start of the breeding period
(which is May 11th). Scratch cards are then
applied to monitor heat expression.
Dave then visits three weeks later to examine
the non-cycling cows.
‘Dave understands the challenges we have,
and we use his knowledge,’ says Ian.
‘Following discussions with him a few years
ago, we have stepped up our programme to
include the use of intra-vaginal devices to
boost progesterone levels.’
Nowadays, any cows not seen bulling are
put straight onto a proactive synchronisation
programme. ‘This year we have ear-tagged
those cows which needed this proactive
treatment so we can monitor their future
health and fertility,’ adds Ian.
Heifers undergo the same process. They are
reared off-site but will re-join the herd in
mid-January.
Any cows that are not in-calf by the following
spring are run with bulls in the November.
They will either be moved to the second farm
where there is an autumn calving block, or
sold as autumn calvers. ‘But a cow is only
allowed to slip a block once!’ says Ian.
Calving protocol
With 290 cows to calve in 11 weeks,
management is aided by the use of different
coloured tail tapes.
Ian explains: ‘At drying off, cows are given a
mineral bolus, and those due to calve in
February are given a blue tail-tape. It’s a
similar process for the heifers. We use three
more tape colours to identify those calving in
the first or second half of March, or April.
‘Three times each week, the dry cows and
heifers are run through the parlour and those
bagging up are pulled out into the calving
yard.
‘Once calved, cows are turned out to graze.
They are rotated over 91ha of grazing, from
February through to November. We are
aiming to achieve yields of 5,000 litres per
lactation, feeding 650-700kg of concentrate
to supplement the grazing and silage.
‘We will make a 3-week post-calving metritis
check on the cows and heifers. Those with a
clean bill of health have their coloured tape
replaced with a white tail tape, whilst those
without are treated and checked again.’
Proactivity pays off
So is a proactive synchronisation programme
worth the money and effort in block-calving
herds
?
‘Yes,’ says Dave. ‘In grass-based block-
calving systems, the management of ‘non
cyclers’ is a critical component in reaching
both 6-week and final in-calf rates.
‘Even with poor milk prices, investing in a
synchronisation programme still gives a very
good return on investment – I reckon at least a
4:1 return right now, and the payback will be
even better when prices rise.’
Ian Lightfoot with dry cows in the shed
Cows and heifers need to calve at the start of the
block (The green tapes denote early March calver,
red tapes were put on when dried off)
The first of the February-calved cows – now out
grazing the overwintered grass
Different coloured tail tapes are used to make
management easier