Lessons Learned at The 2011 Dairy Cattle Reproduction Council Annual Meeting
In November, several Genex employees attended the Dairy Cattle Reproduction Council annual meeting in Kansas City, Mo. The meeting was a melting pot of dairy producers, veterinarians, nutritionists, dairy industry representatives and academia. Many concepts were presented including those that can be applied directly to your farm. Here, two of the Genex attendees have reviewed a topic presented at the meeting, provided the key points and offered their personal insight.
"Integration of Synchronization Programs and Estrus Detection" Summarized and Reviewed by Colten Green, National Account Manager
Dr. Todd Bilby of Texas A&M presented research he conducted in collaboration with Dr. Ricardo Chebel from the University of Minnesota. According to Bilby, most timed artificial insemination (A.I.) programs are developed with the idea cows will be bred almost exclusively by timed A.I. with little to no heat detection. In practice however, most dairies use some combination of heat detection and timed A.I. The goal isn't to have every dairy use the exact same system, but to decide what system best suits your individual dairy.
There are a few things to remember when setting up a breeding program.
1. First service timed A.I. works best with a pre-synchronization phase (a series of treatments preceding the final Ovsynch or Cosynch phase of timed A.I. programs). Likewise, timed A.I. for repeat services also works best with a pre-synchronization phase. The challenge is PGF2α must not be given to cows prior to pregnancy check.
2. Pre-synchronization programs are designed to put cows in the optimal stage of the estrous cycle at the beginning of Ovsynch or Cosynch, but sometimes the most convenient timed A.I. program for the dairy doesn't put cows in the optimal stage of the estrous cycle. For example, if you are on a Presynch-Ovsynch program and want to keep things simple, consider using a 12-day interval rather than a 14-day interval between the second PGF2α and the first GnRH. This allows you to keep the same shot days but a greater proportion of cows will be in the optimal stage of the estrous cycle at the start of your Ovsynch or Cosynch program.
3. Utilizing heat detection is an effective method to inseminate cows quickly. Farms with good heat detection and good conception to those breedings often have a good pregnancy rate. The reason for the good pregnancy rates is simple, less days between services equals a better heat detection rate. This was the focus of Bilby's presentation.
4. For many producers, a combination of heat detection and a well planned timed A.I. program will yield the best possible results. Many cows show heat 20 to 28 days after previous insemination, so it may be beneficial to delay resynchronization until after this period to maximize the amount of heat detection breedings before timed A.I.
Good reproduction is generally a result of healthy cows and attention to detail in a breeding program. You might be happy with a program that relies 100 percent on heat detection or 100 percent on timed A.I. However, if you don't think your reproduction program is where you want it to be, consider making revisions that allow you to utilize both heat detection and timed A.I. But remember, it takes several months to truly evaluate a breeding program.
"On-farm Application of Chemical Test for Pregnancy Diagnosis" Summarized and Reviewed by Gustavo Pena, National Account Specialist
Dr. Matt Lucy from the University of Missouri and Johan Vosloo, manager of Country Dairy Inc. in New Era, Mich., explained that technology is changing the traditional role veterinarians play in dairy farms.
The most important component of a reproduction program is the early determination of open or non-pregnant cows so they may be entered into a resynchronization program. Currently, rectal palpation is the most common method used for pregnancy determination; it is used between 35 to 45 days post insemination. Ultrasound allows for determination of non-pregnant cows as early as 29 days post insemination; however, price and training of the operator poses a limiting factor for many farms. Sensitive enzyme immunoassays have opened the door for the development of several chemical tests to detect specific pregnancy proteins in blood and serum.
Including a chemical pregnancy test in your daily management will help improve reproduction efficiency and reduce cost by detecting open cows earlier. By reducing the number of days a cow is open, a producer can maximize milk production and increase returns. One of these tests is the DG29TM pregnancy test, available from Genex. DG29 can be used as early as 29 days post breeding and is simple to use. Blood samples are drawn on the farm, forwarded to a certified laboratory, and results are e-mailed or faxed to the farm.
During the presentation, Vosloo explained how they include the chemical pregnancy test into their weekly management plan. The "vet check" has been changed to "blood day." The vet still visits the farm, but with fewer cows to palpate the vet now focuses more on open and problem cows. In addition, they are able to utilize the vet in more of a consultant role training employees and reviewing animal handling protocols or milk quality standards.
The presentation also provided a cost comparison between the traditional veterinary check and chemical test. A few key points were that previously the veterinarian was pregnancy checking more cows thereby spending more hours on the farm, and cows were in headlocks longer increasing stress and reducing milk production.
In conclusion, if a chemical pregnancy test fits your management program, it can be economically wise, easy to manage and lead to increased conception rates. Keep in mind the pregnancy test does not replace good animal management or the need for veterinarian service.
Posted December 2011
