Fertility Management

Records at the Campus are maintained on the Kingswood computer software, updated by the herdsman on a daily basis. A circular Bray breeding board and a dairy is also kept as a backup. Records kept include calvings, with details of any difficult calvings, retained placentas and any discharges after calving. All heats are recorded from well before the start of the breeding season. All services, both AI and natural service and the bull used are recorded. Veterinary treatments and diagnoses of each cow treated/examined by the farm vet are also recorded for use during routine vet checks.

All cows are examined at approximately 30 days post calving by the farm vet on his fortnightly visit to the Campus. Cows with visible discharge or abnormal heat patterns are examined at an earlier stage. Cows are identified for examination using the computer records to identify cows by stage of lactation and any abnormalities such as heat not observed by 42 days post calving.

The heat detection routine applied at the college involves observing cows three times each day for 20-30 minutes. Observation periods are early am, mid-day, and late pm. Heat detection aids used at the campus include tailpaint on all hormone treated cows and milk progesterone testing of all cows more than 42 days open and not observed on heat.

To control costs of semen, a maximum of two inseminations per cow with first choice semen is allowed. A sweeper bull is used for any subsequent services. Inexpensive test bull semen is used after hormone treatments when double, fixed time A.I. is used again to save on semen costs.

Trained campus staff carry out most inseminations at the campus. Refresher courses are organised as necessary for inseminators and regular assessment is made of performance.

The main method of pregnancy diagnosis is by rectal palpation at 6-7 weeks after insemination. The aim is to identify cows not in calf earlier, to allow repeat serves or treatment in time to control the calving index.