I know there are a lot of variables that affect the percent of cattle that get bred when aied. My question is what percentage is considered good? I know we all want a hundred percent, but that is hard to acheive. So what would yall consider a success?
Bred percentage
- Thread starter Sd1030
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JMJ Farms
Well-known member
65-70%
Till-Hill
Well-known member
A older progressive cattlemen told me years ago don't get caught up in the % preg off AI breeding but worry more about keeping calving season tight. I think he is right. Is you or your tech didn't do a good job the clean up Bulls should but if neither do we need to look at the reason that happened. We are lucky and ran 100% on heifers this year. 6/7 bred sexed semen and were over 70% on cows and even bumped cows up couple weeks. Bought set late March to mid Mays and got them all going to calf by may 5th this year according to vet.
cow pollinater
Well-known member
Your conception rate may increase but your preg rate will decrease.angus9259":1zbrrxhs said:
ez14
Well-known member
Not cp but i think its because you wont get them all bred
cow pollinater
Well-known member
Conception rate only applies to cattle that were bred. Pregnancy rate applies to all eligible cattle. If you try to breed one hundred head based on observed heat you're likely going to breed about 80 head. If you were to syncronize that same one hundred head you will have very similar conception on the 80 head that would have showed you heat but the remaining 20 head also stand a fair chance of becoming pregnant. Your conception rate will be lower but you will have more pregnant cattle.
Cp thanks, i think i understand your point. The last part of your explaination is still alittle confusing to me, but i think i got it. Just sounds weird to say your conception rate is lower but you have more bred cattle, but im thinking its based on a percentage deal, as in if you did the percentage of preg cattle in each scenario the numbers would prove your point. I could be off here, but thanks for your help.
regolith
Well-known member
cp: presuming you're talking about beef cattle in a 100-cow group using some form of heat detection aid and observing daily... why would you only see 80% of them on natural heats?
I've said it before and I've done it again this year - for about the ninth year in a row now, my first-cycle submission rate on my DAIRY herd for cows known to have cycled prior to mating is 98 - 99% (was 100% this year). The ones I don't see either haven't been calved long enough to have started cycling or have something wrong with them. Those cows aren't a real good option for hormonal treatment either.
For my type of cattle 60% conception rate (not the same as a live calf) is acceptable. Last couple of years it's been 70%plus, too fast calving and not enough food for them that early in spring. So yes, it's good but it can be self-limiting as well if it results in the herd being underfed.
I've said it before and I've done it again this year - for about the ninth year in a row now, my first-cycle submission rate on my DAIRY herd for cows known to have cycled prior to mating is 98 - 99% (was 100% this year). The ones I don't see either haven't been calved long enough to have started cycling or have something wrong with them. Those cows aren't a real good option for hormonal treatment either.
For my type of cattle 60% conception rate (not the same as a live calf) is acceptable. Last couple of years it's been 70%plus, too fast calving and not enough food for them that early in spring. So yes, it's good but it can be self-limiting as well if it results in the herd being underfed.
regolith":1fueg454 said:
80% is about right for me as well. Just seems to be different hotness to the heats
Maybe they're busy eating, maybe not feeling well, too hot (temp) or too cold. I've seen em where they are in a rip roaring heat one cycle but it's too soon to breed. I wait for the next cycle - counting off the days and watching like a hawk and it comes and goes with not so much as an upturned nose till I see blood on the tail. Even have estrotects on them and they never get a scratch. Except those that stand like crazy in the middle of the night and stop by daylight and the patch is just gone and there's no sign of heat at all!! :bang:
