Thursday, June 14, 2007
Heat detection requires commitment
by David Marrison
Dairy farmers have a ton of hats to juggle in their daily lives. Because of this balancing act, a few responsibilities tend to fall through the cracks.
One such responsibility is reproduction. After all, it is not the emergency of the milk pump crashing, a calf being born breach or getting corn silage planted on time.
Then when the pregnancy check shows that cows are not being bred, the AI technician, veterinarian or nutritionist usually gets the blame.
Attention. But if the truth is told, it is most likely the lack of attention to the herd’s heat detection program that is causing poor pregnancy rates. Even the best technician can’t get the cow bred if she is not in good heat.
So what tips can our Ohio State University Extension Dairy Team offer dairy managers to help improve heat detection?
