1. Level II Agricultural Business Operations

2.  Understand the reproduction cycle  Assess herd reproductive efficiency  Understand the decisions involved in developing a breeding plan ◦ Bull selection ◦ Selecting cow replacements ◦ Bull and cow management

3.  Gestation Length: Interval from conception to calving Average:287 days Range:280-300 days  Oestrous Cycle Length: Interval from one heat to another Average:21 days Range: 18-24 days  Calving Interval: Interval between successive calvings Average:415 days Range:360-500 days+

4. Calving Pregnancy – 290 days 365 days 75 days Breeding/Conception Pregnancy – 290 days Breeding Conception Calving 400+ days

5.  Calving - March/April/May  Service - June/July/August  Weaning - September/October/November  Dry period - December/January/February

7. 1. Calving Interval (Cow) Number of days between calvings 2. Calving Index (Herd) Average of calving Intervals 3. Calving Spread Days/weeks from first to last calf born

10. Two herds of 50 Cows Herd A Herd B Calving index 380 days Calving index 415 days

11. Direct costs of cow slipping 35 days £ Lost calf growth35 x £ 1.80/kg = £ 63.00 Feeding an empty cowAv daily cost 50p x 35 = £ 17.00 Total cost £80 /cow or £ 2.30 per day Herd A advantage = 50 cows x £80/cow = £4000

12. Calving not being batched Extra handling time Managing extra groups Replacing an empty cow Financial cost (heifer cost – cull cow value) Financial cost Breeding extra replacements Using a maternal bull on more cows Biosecurity cost buying in replacements of unknown disease status

13. Calving date slippage Calf sold 1 st October each year Calf sold 1 st October each year Cow calves 1-3-11 - calf weighs 300kg at sale Cow calves 1-3-11 - calf weighs 300kg at sale Cow calves 1-5-12 - calf weighs 230kg at sale Cow calves 1-5-12 - calf weighs 230kg at sale Cow calves 1-7-13 - calf weighs 160kg at sale Cow calves 1-7-13 - calf weighs 160kg at sale Eventually - Can’t get to calf sale as a cow is calving!! Eventually - Can’t get to calf sale as a cow is calving!!

14. Having a clearly defined calving period or periods

15.  Labour ◦ Less time supervising calvings. ◦ Reduced risk of difficult calvings due to overfit cows ◦ Bigger/more even batches of calves  Disease ◦ Reduced disease spread from older to younger calves  Weaning weight ◦ Calves born earlier are heavier at weaning  Marketing ◦ More even batches of store cattle  Replacement heifers ◦ More heifer calves at suitable weight for bulling

16.  Housing ◦ More calving accommodation may be needed.  Disease ◦ More calves at same stage if disease breaks out  Marketing ◦ All ready at same time – cash flow

17. Take the bull out!

18.  Cow ◦ Replacement rate ◦ Selecting replacements ◦ 2 year calving  Bull ◦ Estimated Breeding Values (EBV’s) ◦ Physical characteristics ◦ Natural Service versus AI

19.  Cows do not last forever and will leave the herd for a variety of reasons: ◦ Old/ Sick / Lame ◦ Empty ◦ Poor fertility (Late) ◦ Poor productivity ◦ Other undesirable traits

20.  Herds should have a clear replacement policy and plan ahead  Suckler herds have a typical Replacement Rate of 15 – 30% (Average = 20%)  E.g. At 20% replacement rate, a 50 cow herd will require 10 replacements every year just to sustain itself

21.  What characteristics are you looking for? ◦ Hybrid vigour ◦ Milk ◦ Calving ability ◦ Longevity ◦ Size ◦ Breed

22. AdvantagesDisadvantages Bio-securityNeed Maternal bull/AI Performance HistoryReduced cash flow Can select geneticsLimited supply Cost

23. AdvantagesDisadvantages Simple to manageBio-security Plenty of choiceNo control of genetics Cost Time sourcing

24.  Most efficient ◦ One less batch of heifers ◦ Can carry 13% more cows on the same resource ◦ Additional calves per lifetime  Targets ◦ Serve at min of 60% of mature weight  e.g. 650kg cow = 390kg at 15 months of age ◦ Calve down at 85% of mature weight  E.g. 650kg cow = 550kg at calving 24months

25. Bull Selection Ease EBVs

26.  Estimated Breeding Values ◦ Genetic potential for number of traits ◦ Comparison within breeds ◦ Maternal – Self Replacing Index  Calving ease daughters  Milk  Gestation length  Scrotal size (fertility)  Fat depth

27.  Estimated Breeding Values ◦ Genetic potential for number of traits ◦ Comparison within breeds ◦ Terminal – Terminal Production Index  Calving ease direct  200, 400 & 600 day weights  Muscle depth / eye muscle area  Carcase weight

31.  Physical Characteristics ◦ Health Status ◦ “Correct” ◦ Good Locomotion ◦ Temperament ◦ High Libido ◦ Conformation ◦ Age

32.  What should a normal bull be able to achieve? ◦ A 90 – 95% pregnancy rate in a group of 40 cows over a 9 – 10 week period. ◦ Young bulls (<2 years old) should only serve 20 cows in first season

33. AI or Natural Service... ?  AI :  Greater genetic progress due to better genetics.  Can match bulls to individual cows.  Detecting cows in heat can be difficult and time consuming.  How good is your AI technique – does it affect your herd conception rates?

34. AI or Natural Service... ? Bull - Natural service:  Time saving - does all the heat detection for you.  Conception rates – potentially better.  Bull could have fertility problem.  Genetic progress limited compared to AI.  Danger – especially indoors.

35. Standing to be mounted

36. Chin-restingHead mounting SniffingLip-curling

37. Restlessness/Bellowing CajolingSoliciting Licking other cows Hair loss/dirt marks Not standing to be mounted Secondary Signs of Heat - Less Important Signs

39. Cows prioritise how they use their nutritional resources. 1. Produce milk for her calf 2. Maintain her body condition 3. Get back in calf Decreasing priority

40.  A good guide to nutrition  Cows scored on a scale 0 - 5  Underfeeding → thinner  Feeding more than requirements → fatter  Important at mating, calving and weaning  Can reduce feed costs  Crucial to fertility

42. Condition 2 Condition Score 2

43. Condition 3 Condition Score 3

46.  Can be carried out at 5-6 weeks  Identifies empty cows ◦ Allow for planned culling ◦ Prevents feed wastage  Identifies bull fertility issues  Identifies twins ◦ Can adjust feeding  Estimated calving dates ◦ Planning housing and feeding requirements ◦ Weaning dates

47.  Discuss herd fertility with your vet ◦ Vaccination policy – BVD, Leptospirosis ◦ Mineral deficiencies ◦ Bull assessment (MOT) ◦ Biosecurity ◦ Individual problem cows

48.  Breeding efficiency essential for profitable production  Targets ◦ 365 Calving index ◦ Calving heifers at 24 months ◦ Use EBVs to produce high genetic merit replacements and finishing stock  Manage cow condition to maximise fertility