2015- Breeding Heifers for Profit

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1 2015- Breeding Heifers for Profit 1

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3 2015 Breeding Heifers for Profit Foreword The anticipated expansion in milk production, following the removal of EU Milk Quotas in 2015, will not be achieved without adequate numbers of AI bred, high EBI, early born and well-reared replacement heifers. Now is the time to start breeding the dairy herd for milk production after milk quotas. Breeding decisions taken in 2011 will result in heifers entering the herd in 2014, provided they are reared to calve at 24 months. A series of four farm walks have been organised as part of a campaign to: increase the quality of replacement heifers; increase the numbers of replacement heifers born; and improve the rearing practices on farms to ensure that replacement heifers are fit to calve at two years. We would like to thank the four dairy farmers who agreed to host farm walks as part of this initiative. One of the roles performed by Teagasc is to demonstrate new research and knowledge in action. In order to do this, we need to use suitable farms in the local area. These farm walks will demonstrate the benefits of EBI and attention to detail in relation to breeding management and heifer rearing. This initiative is supported by the four milk processors in the region: Connacht Gold, Donegal Creameries, Lakeland Dairies and Town of Monaghan. Their support for this initiative is important and demonstrates that Teagasc, milk processors and dairy farmers realise the importance of breeding and heifer management to the future of the dairy industry in this region. Gerard Sherlock Chairman Northern Research Steering Group (Teagasc, Ballyhaise) Tom O Dwyer Head of Dairy Knowledge Transfer, Teagasc 3

4 Does EBI work in this region? There is plenty of data from research farms and on farm studies to show that EBI delivers on milk production and fertility. But what about herds in this region? ICBF has analysed the data from the eight herds (four farm walks, four profiled in newsletters) that participated in the 2015-Breeding heifers for Profit initiative. Their data is presented in Table 1. Cows are divided into three groups based on EBI, average for the group is 72 EBI. The top group of cows have an EBI of 112, with 41 from milk and 62 from fertility. The low group has an EBI of 27. The main points to note are: l Difference of 32 in milk sub-index between the high and low group - Delivered 72kg of additional milk solids over 3 years, which is 24kg per annum - This is worth an additional 92 profit per cow per annum l High fertility sub-index of 64 results in - Calving interval of 374 days (close to the target of 365 days) - 87% of these cows surviving to the fourth lactation compared to 62% in the low group. This is worth an additional 112 per cow in lower replacement costs alone Table 1. Summary performance for herds & cows in the 2015 Breeding heifer for Profit initiative. Data High Medium Low Diff EBI EBI EBI (High-Low) EBI Milk Sub Index Fertility Sub Index Age at 1st Calving mths Milk litres (1-3 lactation) 16,701 15,578 17, Fat kg (1-3 lactation) Protein kg (1-3 lactation) Calving Interval (1-4 calving) days % Cows surviving to 4 calving 87% 58% 62% 25% Message: These results show that selecting for high EBI delivers in terms of more production (more milk solids produced) and better fertility (cows surviving from lactation to lactation). 4

5 Farm Walks April 2011 David and Iris Williamson, Co. Cavan David and Iris farm at Dunena, near Bailieboro. They milk 110 cows from their 34 hectare milking platform. All bull calves are sold and heifers are reared on an out farm. Herd EBI is 69 with bulling heifers having an EBI of 113 of which 52 comes from the milk sub-index and 51 from the fertility sub-index. The herd is milk recorded and 100% AI is used on the mature cows. Surplus heifers are sold each year. Richard and Wendy Starrett, Co. Donegal Richard milks 120 cows at Killendarragh, Lifford. Herd EBI is 112 and young stock are 128 with 55 from milk sub-index and 61 from the fertility sub-index. The herd is milk recorded. Despite increasing herd size by 40 cows in recent years, he has also sold surplus heifers each year. 100% AI is used on the mature cows, heifers are synchronised and a stock bull used to mop up. Tail paint is the heat detection aid used on cows. Eamon and Eaver McMahon, Co. Monaghan Eamon farms at Knockaturley, Monaghan and milks about 40 cows from a 15 hectare milking block. Herd EBI is 84. This year there are 20 heifers for breeding this year with an average EBI of 92, with 43 from both the fertility and milk subindex. Cows are mainly bred to AI and crayons are the method of heat detection. Heifers will be synchronised this year as they are on an outfarm. Surplus heifers are sold each year. Patrick and Mary Coleman, Co. Mayo Patrick milks 90 cows outside Claremorris. Herd EBI is 90. Breeding heifers for 2011 have an EBI of 113 with 36 from the milk sub-index and 66 from the fertility sub index. Calving starts on the first week of February. Cows are bred to AI, with a sweeper bull used to clean up. Tail paint is used as a heat detection aid. Replacement heifers are reared on an outfarm. 5

6 1. Quality of replacement heifers There are four legs to the stool which support dairy herd fertility: (a) Nutrition (b) Health (c) Genetics (d) Mating Management Should any of these legs fail herd fertility will suffer. Nationally, herd fertility is below optimum with the proportion of April/June calving cows increasing from 23% to 34% in the mid 2000 s. In addition replacement rate is 27%. This is costing farmers money - extra cost to rear these replacements, expansion is curtailed and herd milk yield is reduced as heifers are a high proportion of the herd. In addition, late calving cows are adding to seasonal peak of milk supply for the processing sector. Quality of Heifers One weakness in tackling herd fertility is genetics. Nationally fertility sub-index in the EBI is 29, but is even lower in the northern counties which have an average fertility sub-index (SI) of only 21. The target is to produce heifers with a 70 fertility sub-index (in their EBI) from breeding decision you make this spring. To achieve this you need to select a team of bulls which are at least 100 of fertility sub-index. e.g., 40 cow fertility SI bull fertility SI = 70 Daughter fertility SI Data from ICBF now clearly shows that the higher the fertility sub-index of a herd, the greater the survival of cows from lactation to lactation. Selecting bulls The following are the four key steps you must follow this spring to produce heifer calves with fertility sub-index of Use AI only. AI bulls have reliable information on fertility that a stock bull will never have. 2. Use high EBI bulls ( average 200) these bring a good balance of fertility and milk. 3. Use a team of bulls from the ICBF active bull list. 4. Team of bulls should have at least 100 fertility sub-index. 6 You can also improve another trait in your heifers, e.g. protein %, but adhere to the above points above to improve fertility.

7 Heat Detection Each missed heat is a future loss of 250 profit. High 21 day submission rates are the first step to keeping the calving compact and giving all cows at least three opportunities to get back in calf. Over 70% of cows come into heat between 7.00 p.m. and 9.00 a.m. On average each heat lasts for 3 hours (range 3-30 hours). This is a very short window of opportunity to identify cows. Also, as the number of cows in heat in the herd decreases, so too does the mounting activity. Therefore, after the first three weeks of breeding, identifying cows becomes more difficult. Farms that are successfully using 100% AI are not relying totally on observation to identify cows in heat. They are using one or two heat detection aids to help identify cows in heat so that they can be artificially inseminated with high EBI sires. Tail Paint: This is a cheap, easy to apply system. A narrow strip (9 inches x 2 inches) is painted on the tail head. When the cow is mounted the paint is broken away. The paint needs to be replenished every 3-4 days. Research has shown that if 25% of the paint is removed there is a 76% chance she is bulling. If 100% of paint is removed there is a 93% chance the cow is bulling. Paint-Sticks: These operate similar to tail paint. Scratch Cards: They contain an adhesive which sticks a scratch pad to the cow. When the cow is mounted the colour is revealed. Dyes pads: These are stuck onto the cow and the dye colour is made visible when the cow is mounted. Automated Heat Detection: These operate on the basis that a cow in heat has more activity compared to cows not in heat. A neckband / pedometer is fitted on each cow monitors to monitor cow activity. Vasectomised Bull plus Chinball Harness: A young bull can be vasectomised and run with the herd. A chinball will mark each cow that the bull mounts. On farm trial: Four heat detection aids were trialled on seven commercial dairy farms by Teagasc Moorepark. They were tail-painted, paint-stick, scratch card and dye pad. There was no difference in three weeks submission rates and pregnancy rates with the four products. When the farmers were asked about overall performance for the four products they identified tail paint as the most preferred method. Message: Use a team of bulls with an average EBI of 200, with 100 from the fertility sub-index. Use a heat detection aid to help identify cows in heat. 7

8 2. Quantity of Heifers Sufficient heifers are needed for normal replacement rate, planned expansion and the option to sell surplus heifers. This region needs to increase the number of heifers reared per 100 cows to satisfy there requirements. While data from the National Farm Survey show that 90% dairy farms are using AI the same data shows that not enough dairy replacement inseminations are being used. It takes approximately 5.5 straws to generate one milking heifer. Remember, half will repeat and half will be males before any losses are incurred. Therefore, if you want 30 milking heifers in 2014, you need to use minimum of 165 straws this spring. Synchronisation for Heifers Well grown heifers (330kg HF) can be synchronised for breeding during April. The benefit is that they will calve compactly at the start of calving season and can produce early born heifer calves. Prostaglandin synchronisation protocols work very well for heifers, but will not work in non-cycling heifers. The following protocol works: 1. Tail paint all heifers and inseminate following observation of oestrus during the first 6 days of the breeding season. 2. All heifers not inseminated in the first 6 days receive a prostaglandin injecting on day 7 and are inseminated following observation of oestrus in the next 3-5 days. 3. Heifers that failed to come into heat following the first injection of prostaglandin receive a second injection 10 days later. 4. Heifers are again inseminated at a standing heat, or receive fixed time AI at 72 and 96h after the second injection. This protocol should result in 100% submission rate and 70% conception to first service. Message: Decide heifer numbers you require in Multiply by 5.5 to give number of straws needed to use this spring. Synchronise heifers to facilitate AI use to generate more dairy heifer calves. 8

9 3. Heifer Rearing Data from ICBF show that of the dairy heifer calves born in 2007, only 48% of these calved between months of age. By 36 months only 73% had calved. This suggested that a lot of calves do not reach target weights. This is a major cost to dairy farmers. The key target weight for calving at two years of age is mating weight. For Friesians, this should be 330kg, which is usually in mid-april for Spring-born herds. These heifers should calve at 550kg. This is equivalent to an average daily gain of 0.7kg / day over two years. Heifers born a month later must gain closer to 0.75kg. There is no space for a store period when rearing heifers. The first year is crucial. A crucial factor in heifer rearing is reaching target weight at mating. Heifers must reach 60% of their mature bodyweight by mating to be cycling. Table 1 outlines the key weights. This was further emphasised in the Teagasc Moorepark Fertility Study on commercial dairy farms. Heifers cycling at the start of breeding weighed 326kg, those that were not cycling weighed 296kg. This was only a 30 kg difference. Table 1:Target Weights for breeding and calving % HO Fr/NZ bodyweight July Breeding Calving A high rate of gain from birth to calving is essential to achieve there targets. There is no place in heifer rearing for a store period where for a month (or two) heifers put on no weight. Take a 40kg calf in February; she will need to gain 510 kg over two years (730 days) which is 0.7 kg gain over this period. An April-born calf would need to gain 0.75 kg / day over this period. Heifer Rearing Stages There are seven distinct stages. Target weights must be reached after each stage. The following is a simple checklist. The approximate weight to be gained is also provided this is to take a 40 kg calf to 550kg at calving. Calf rearing (gain 50kg): l Adequate colostrum must be fed l Diseases/housing issues minimised l Calves eating sufficient solid feed at weaning 9

10 1 st Summer at Grass (gain 100kg): l Control programme for worms / hoose l Access to leafy grass l Calves are selective graziers l No restriction on leafy grass Autumn (gain 40kg): l Adequate grass must be provided l Adequate meal fed where necessary 1 st Winter (gain 50kg): l Appropriate housing/feed area available l Parasite programme for worms/hoose/fluke l Silage quality assessed l Appropriate meals fed to match forage quality Turnout to Breeding: (gain 50kg): l Health vaccination programme l Heifers at grass six weeks before breeding i.e. early March l grass available since autumn 2 nd Summer: (gain 150kg): l Sufficient Grass available l Quality of grass available 2 nd Winter: (gain 80kg): l Parasite programme for worms/hoose/fluke l Silage quality assessed l Appropriate meals fed to match forage quality It is useful to regularly weigh heifers to monitor performance. It can be a representative sample in a trailer at a weighbridge. Some discussion groups/ farmers are also investing in their own scales to monitor heifer performance. Message: Start monitoring heifer performance now. Remember, heifers must gain an average of 0.7kg / day from birth to calving. 10

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12 Published by Teagasc Public Relations Department Head office Oak park Carlow T: E: W: March 2011