RBBrangus
Member
We're trying to push some of our cows to rebreed earlier to shorten our calving season. Our cows are usually on average to good quality coastal bermuda hay and protein blocks during the winter and range from mid 4 to 5 body condition score. We were planning on using CIDRs for synchronization. We've used them in the past and they really work well. Some studies on using CIDRs in postpartum cows show that they help get cows cycling earlier.
Also, I've read several scientific articles and extension papers that show that postpartum nutrition and body condition score affect the length of postpartum anestrus and fertility. Boiled down, cows that are in better condition re-breed earlier than cows that are in not-so-good condition. Some also show that if you feed cows between calving and re-breeding that they'll breed back earlier. Some of the papers I've read suggested feeding between 1 to 2% of a cows body weight. We were thinking of trying it out, but it may be a shot in the dark.
How early can you re-breed cows after calving? Has anybody fed cows after calving and what kind of re-breeding results have you had? If so, what did you feed? Also, has anybody used CIDRs and how early have you used them?
Also, I've read several scientific articles and extension papers that show that postpartum nutrition and body condition score affect the length of postpartum anestrus and fertility. Boiled down, cows that are in better condition re-breed earlier than cows that are in not-so-good condition. Some also show that if you feed cows between calving and re-breeding that they'll breed back earlier. Some of the papers I've read suggested feeding between 1 to 2% of a cows body weight. We were thinking of trying it out, but it may be a shot in the dark.
How early can you re-breed cows after calving? Has anybody fed cows after calving and what kind of re-breeding results have you had? If so, what did you feed? Also, has anybody used CIDRs and how early have you used them?