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Know How / Breeding and fertility

Case studies

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BEEF

Shetland suckler herd targets fertility in simple system

Superstars are not wanted in Jamie Leslie’s 90-cow Angus suckler herd at Scholland Farm on Shetland. Breeding is kept simple with “nothing too fancy”, but a strong focus on fertility…

SHEEP

Ram alliance and outcross lift Devon breeder’s income

A Devon sheep breeder has used outcrossing and collaboration to lift income across his maternal and terminal stud flocks, respectively. Peregrine Aubrey, of Eastergrounds Farm, near Kingsbridge, has lifted prime…

SHEEP

How autumn flock resilience plan cuts lambing and cake bill

Prioritising fertility and challenging ewes to milk off forage has halved an autumn lambing flock’s labour requirement and saved on 27t of bought-in feed.  Focus has shifted from aiming for…

LIVESTOCK

Why Angus breeder prioritises health and forage-only diets

High health status, easy calving genetics and performance from forage are the foundations of Angus Stovold’s Aberdeen Angus herd. His cattle, although largely sold for breeding, also have to succeed…

SHEEP

Farmer imports breed to lift wool cheque up to five-fold

A large-scale, low-input Romney breeder has added low-micron fleece to his breeding goals, with the aim of turning a loss-making wool enterprise into a profitable one. Frank Langrish, of Langrish…

BEEF

How a Sutherland suckler herd achieved a compact calving

Scottish farmers Vic and Jason Ballantyne have condensed their calving period of 10 weeks in recent years, to seven weeks over the past two seasons. This is contributing to a…

Practical advice

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BREEDING AND FERTILITY

Why breeding goals are key to optimise days in milk

In a block-calving herd, the earlier a cow calves, the more milk she can produce before the herd is dried off as one. This means it makes business sense to…

DAIRY

Benefits of a post-calving vet check for herd health

A post-calving vet check not only helps prevent subclinical endometritis, but it also lets the farm vet keep track of a herd’s overall health status. It is not just at-risk…

DAIRY

5 heritable traits to improve mastitis and cell counts

Udder health traits can have a profound effect on milk price and herd profitability.  Genetics are among many factors that have helped improve udder health, such as better tools for…

LIVESTOCK

How to get maiden heifers in-calf

Getting maiden heifers in-calf requires a farm-specific plan if an easy calving at 24 months of age, followed by a healthy, productive herd life, is to be achieved. Mating heifers…

BREEDING AND FERTILITY

Why refreshing cattle insemination technique matters

All-year-round calving herds carrying out their own inseminations need to ensure operators attend a refresher course at least every two years. For block-calving herds, it should be an annual event,…

BREEDING AND FERTILITY

Tips on managing sweeper bulls

To achieve good pregnancy rates, careful planning and consideration are required when using sweeper bulls.  Heat detection technology, coupled with the use of sexed semen, has meant that fewer sweeper…

Insights

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DAIRY

Focus on functional traits pays off for organic dairy

Ten years of focusing on traits to breed the right kind of cows for their system and lifestyle has resulted in a uniform herd for organic milk producers Sophie and…

DAIRY

Dairy inbreeding target outdated, farmers advised

Dairy farmers should not compromise their herd’s genetic gain simply to avoid inbreeding, said the AHDB’s head of animal genetics, Marco Winters. Instead, monitoring the rate of inbreeding from one…

DAIRY

Big cows are a drain on dairy feed bills and the environment

UK dairy farmers are milking their best-ever Holstein cows, having improved all health and production traits through breeding selection. However, there is an “unfavourable trend in maintenance” which has become…

DAIRY

Poor heifer retention rates costing dairies dear

Dairy farmers expect genetic gain to reveal itself in their herds despite farm system constraints or a lack of resources. “It’s like producing Ferraris to put in a banger race,”…

LIVESTOCK

Heifer-rearing costs lacking on “too many farms”

Genetic potential is being lost because heifers are leaving dairy herds too soon. “Inefficient” heifer rearing is not only costing dairy farmers in lost performance, but is influencing the public’s…

BEEF

Suckler cow depreciation: Why it matters

Suckler producers looking to improve profitability should consider calculating cow depreciation and creating strategies to manage value loss in their herd. This is the advice of rancher and consultant Dallas…

BREEDING AND FERTILITY

Surrogate rams: An alternative to artificial insemination?

Surrogate rams could provide an alternative to artificial insemination, helping producers reach their sheep breeding goals, such as higher feed efficiency rates and lower environmental impact, more quickly. This could…

BREEDING AND FERTILITY

Why genetics are critical for improving dairy cow fertility

Dairy cow fertility is at the heart of herd profitability, driving milk yields, cutting interventions and improving cow lifespans. Evidence supporting the role of genetics in improving fertility has accumulated…

LIVESTOCK

High-yielding herds top efficiency stakes

High-yielding dairy herds are more feed-efficient than low-yielding herds, but improvements must be made in cow fertility and longevity to lower methane emissions. A study of 21 farms across five…

SHEEP

Why "breed snobbery" could challenge liveweight sales

A desire to change the system, lower the cost base and move towards self-replacing maternal genetics has left some businesses in the cold when selling liveweight, Farmers Weekly has heard.…