Reproductive Management of Dairy Herds

Ray Nebel, PhD V.P. Technical Service Programs

Select Sires Inc. Plain City, OH 43064 rnebel@selectsires.com

High Reproductive Performance WILL

Increase the frequency of peak milk production, which is the time when cows are most profitable Reduce average herd Days In Milk (DIM)
Increasing milk per day

Reduce need for replacements Accelerate genetic improvement of the herd

Excellent Reproductive Performance WILL

Increase in herd Milk Production

Milk Production

Reduction in DIM
Average Herd DIM (days in milk)

Limiting Factors to Reproductive Success Time

Money Personnel Systems

Reproductive Management Program

Transition Cow Management Calving
VWP
Days in milk

Allowable Breeding Time

Transition Cow Management First Insemination Early Pregnancy Exam - Day 28 to 39

Breeding Strategies

Re-breeding - ReSynch Pregnancy Determination Strategy Recheck Pregnancy Exam - Day 63 Culling Strategy

All of the components require managerial efforts

Transition Cow Index

Bunk space both pre-fresh and fresh cow pens (30 inches per animal) Minimize pen moves (10 days prior to calving) Stall size Sand bedding Identify cows needing medical attention

Cow Comfort
Stocking Rate
headlocks or bunk space

Stall Size/Cow Size

Lunge Space Bedding

Footing
Foot Care (trimming and foot baths)

Heat Abatement Stalls & Holding Pen Mastitis % Resting

Cud Chewing

Reproductive Management Program

Transition Cow Management Calving
VWP
Days in milk

Allowable Breeding Time

Transition Cow Management First Insemination Early Pregnancy Exam - Day 28 to 39

Breeding Strategies

Re-breeding - ReSynch Pregnancy Determination Strategy Recheck Pregnancy Exam - Day 63 Culling Strategy

All of the components require managerial efforts

First Service Program

Time A.I. Visual Heat Detection Tail Paint/Chalk Activity Monitors Combination of Above

Synchronization Protocols
Targeted Breeding Ovsynch Pre-Synch 14/12 Double Ovsynch

Pre-Synch + CIDR

CO-Synch 72

G6-G

OvSynch 56

PreSynch/Ovsynch, G-6-G, and Double Ovsynch

PRESYNCH + OVSYNCH
PGF2a 14 d PGF2a 11 -14 d 1st GnRH 7 d PGF2a 2 d Final GnRH

G-6-G

Pre-PGF2

Pre-GnRH 6 d

1st

GnRH

7 d

PGF2a

2 d

Final GnRH

2 d

DOUBLE OVSYNCH
1st GnRH 7 d PGF2a GnRH 2 d 7 d GnRH 7 d PGF2a 2 d Final GnRH

Protocol for Anestrous Cows

GnRH + PGF2a 14 days PGF2a 11 - 14 days CIDR 7 days 2 days GnRH + Timed A.I.

PGF2a
+

Detect Estrus and A.I.

CIDR out

Factors Influencing Heat Detection Rate

People
Lameness Herdmate Status

Energy balance, minerals, vitamins, toxins

Stocking Rate Temperature & Humidity

People

Facilities

A.M. - P.M. GUIDELINE

Cows Observed: Morning Should be Inseminated:
Afternoon of the Same Day Morning of the Following Day

Afternoon/ Evening

Timing of A.I.
AM - PM guideline only works as good as heat detection program First mount versus first observed mount When in doubt, inseminate early Re-inseminate when necessary
Standing heat after A.I.

Tail Painting
Combines tail stripe evaluation, assessment for secondary signs of estrus, and interval review.

Tail Chalking

Physical Activity
Eighty seven years ago was first published recognition that female mammals display a predictable increase in physical activity when in estrus (Wang, 1923). Farris (1954) described the first potentially useful field application of pedometry in dairy cows.

Kiddy (1976) reported that cows in free stalls were about 2.75 times as active during estrus as when not in estrus.

Electronic Activity Systems

MooMonitor/Select Detect

Activity System

Base Station

Computer Software Interface

Monitors

Accelerometers
Accelerometers were developed first for the military, aerospace and automotive industries Now they are becoming more popular in industrial, medical and consumer devices

Accelerometer
4mm x 4mm 1/6 x 1/6

Dairymaster was at the start of this curve with state of the art animal activity monitoring

Daily Activity

Hourly Activity

Days in Milk at 1st Service

1000 Cow Dairy After

Before Select Detect

st 1

Year

125

Number of cows

100

75

50

25

25

50

75

100

Days in Milk at 1st Service

1000 Cow Dairy After

After Select Detect

st 1

Year

125

Number of cows

100

75

50

25

25

50

75

100

Reproductive Management Program

Calving
VWP

Days in milk

Allowable Breeding Time

Transition Cow Management First Insemination Early Pregnancy Exam - ReSynch Re-breeding Re-synchronizationInitiation prior to or after Pregnancy Determination! Late Pregnancy Exam Culling Strategy

Resynchronization Protocols
AI GnRH PGF GnRH+TAI

OP
0 AI GnRH 33+ PGF GnRH+TAI 40+ 42+

OP
0 26 33+ 40+

AI

GnRH

GnRH

PGF

GnRH+TAI

OP
0 26 33+

CIDR
40+ 42+

1000 Cow Dairy After 1st Year

How quickly are cows re-inseminated?
Detection via Chalk Timed AI
700

Before Select Detect

Detection via Select Detect Since 100 Select Detect Number of cows
75

Timed AI

Number of cows

500

50

300

25 100

0 Days Since Last Heat 21

42

0 Days Since Last Heat

21

42

Factors Influencing Conception Rate

A.I. Sire

A.I.
Technique

Transition Management

Accuracy of Heat Detection

Abortive Diseases Mastitis

VWP

Temperature & Humidity

Key Factors Conception Rate

The Cow

Metabolic diseases
Nutritional status Reproductive diseases
BVD IBR Ureaplasma Lepto hardjo-bovis

Key Factors Conception Rate

The Environment Ambient temperature/heat stress

Voluntary Wait Period

Cow Comfort

Key Factors Conception Rate

Semen

Initial quality Handling of semen Sire differences

Man (people and processes) Thawing of semen Semen Handling Semen placement Accuracy of heat detection

Reproductive Management Program

Transition Cow Management Calving
VWP
Days in milk

Allowable Breeding Time

Transition Cow Management First Insemination Early Pregnancy Exam - Day 28 to 39

Breeding Strategies

Re-breeding - ReSynch Pregnancy Determination Strategy Recheck Pregnancy Exam - Day 63 Culling Strategy

All of the components require managerial efforts

Monitoring Reproductive Performance

21-day Pregnancy Rate
Voluntary Waiting Period (PCDART default 60 days; DairyComp default 50 days) DIM and by Date

Three options to improve it:

Heat Detection Rate (Service Rate) Conception Rate Increase BOTH

21- day Pregnancy Rate

Percentage of Eligible Cows Becoming Pregnant in a 21-Day Period
(Time component!)

NOT Heat Detection Rate X Conception Rate

50 cows in a pen are eligible for breeding Heat Detection Rate = 50%

25 cows submitted for AI

40% Conception Rate =

10 Cows Pregnant

50 Cows Eligible for Breeding 50% HDR 40% CR 20% PR

10 Cows Pregnant

Limiting Factors to Reproductive Success Time

Money Personnel Systems

Factors Influencing Reproductive Success

Importance to Performance

HIGH

Climate/Season Dystocia Embryonic Mortality Ovarian Function Retained Placenta Sire Fertility Uterine Health Age/Parity Breed Twinning

Accurate Heat Detection Cow Comfort/Facilities Efficient Heat Detection Heat Abatement Insemination Technique & Timing Nutrition/Energy Balance Semen Handling Transition Management Inbreeding Milk Production Vaccination Program

LOW

LOW

Potential to Manage

HIGH

Source: Senger, 2001

Thank You!