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Cattle Boards
Breeding / Calving Issues
'Bout Time!
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<blockquote data-quote="simme" data-source="post: 1811750" data-attributes="member: 40418"><p>I certainly understand the concept of retaining heifers from cows that settled in the first heat cycle after bull turnout. Fertility and staying on a 365 day calving interval are very important economic traits. </p><p></p><p>However, I think the application of that is different for a herd with a natural service bull compared to AI only. With natural service, the cows have equal opportunity. Hopefully the bull is on the job 24/7 and is highly motivated to detect heat and service every cow at the optimum time. If the cow does not return to heat on time and settle first service, there is likely a connection to fertility. With AI service, there are several factors that may result in the cow not settling on first service. Probably the biggest factor is heat detection. Number of times per day and amount of time spent on heat detection. Weather - heavy rain or stormy/extreme weather makes it more difficult to detect heat and cows are missed. Accuracy of heat detection, best handling of semen, inseminator skills. Are those the fault of the cow? </p><p></p><p>Natural service puts lots more sperm in the cow at probably a more optimum time than AI service. Usually resulting in a higher percentage of cows settled on first service. Do the replacements from those early born natural service matings have better fertility than replacements from AI calves born from the first 2 AI services? I think there is less connection to the fertility of the cow with AI service than natural service.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="simme, post: 1811750, member: 40418"] I certainly understand the concept of retaining heifers from cows that settled in the first heat cycle after bull turnout. Fertility and staying on a 365 day calving interval are very important economic traits. However, I think the application of that is different for a herd with a natural service bull compared to AI only. With natural service, the cows have equal opportunity. Hopefully the bull is on the job 24/7 and is highly motivated to detect heat and service every cow at the optimum time. If the cow does not return to heat on time and settle first service, there is likely a connection to fertility. With AI service, there are several factors that may result in the cow not settling on first service. Probably the biggest factor is heat detection. Number of times per day and amount of time spent on heat detection. Weather - heavy rain or stormy/extreme weather makes it more difficult to detect heat and cows are missed. Accuracy of heat detection, best handling of semen, inseminator skills. Are those the fault of the cow? Natural service puts lots more sperm in the cow at probably a more optimum time than AI service. Usually resulting in a higher percentage of cows settled on first service. Do the replacements from those early born natural service matings have better fertility than replacements from AI calves born from the first 2 AI services? I think there is less connection to the fertility of the cow with AI service than natural service. [/QUOTE]
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