Transforming a suckler herd Dr Norman Weatherup CAFRE International Beef Cattle Workers Group...
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Transcript of Transforming a suckler herd Dr Norman Weatherup CAFRE International Beef Cattle Workers Group...
Transforming a suckler herd
Dr Norman WeatherupCAFRE
International Beef Cattle Workers Group meeting 2013
Where were we?
• 100 cows, mainly Lim by-product from dairy herd (+ misfits) and later West of Ireland
• Supposed to be in 2 herds, 25 Feb, 75 June calving
• Calving continuously for 6 months
• Weaning in October and January
• Char and Lim bulls
Rotational cross breeding
• Holsteinisation and FMD scuppered replacements
• 2002 went self-contained
• Started to set up 3 breed rotation
• Herd mainly Lim, crossed with Shorthorn
• Next cross was 3 years of AA, then Lim
• Purchased SH bull spring 2013
EBVs in sire selection
• For stock bulls top 25% milk and muscle
• Usually top 25% growth also
• AI bulls to use on heifers
• Top 25% or better for (short) gestation length, (high) easy calving and (low) birth weight
Bull selection
• Recurrent theme of poor maternal calving ease
• Patsy Houghton, Rice Pelvimeter• Only 25% of heifers pass pelvic area
criteria???• Moving maternal calving ease up the
priority list
Current mix of breeds
• Herd is now roughly equal SH, LM, AA
• In the market for AA bull
• Bulls previously had to go after 3
years, can now last much longer
AI heifers• Used to AI heifers 3 or 4 times and then
run a bull to be sure!
• Now, 2 services maximum by AI, no bull
• Used CIDR + FTAI but high vet cost and poor conception rate (up to 69% pregnant after 2 services)
• Single shot prostaglandin after 5 days heat detection 80-91% pregnant after 2 services
Selecting heifers
• Heifers born early (first 2 cycles)
• Mothers OK for udder conformation and temperament
• Screen again by weaning weight
• Screen for structural soundness etc
• Weigh, frame score at turnout
• Pelvic measurements
Recent problems
• Poor conception rate in 2012/2013• Trying to move calving date – heifers
getting younger• More lim- maturity getting later• Change of technician• 2012 too wet?• 2013 too hot?
Weight targets for 2yo calving
• 1kg/d on cow – 220kg at weaning
• 0.6kg/d first winter – 330kg at turnout
• 0.85 kg/d at grass – 480kg at housing
• 0.5kg/d 2nd winter – 570kg at calving
• EASY!!
Top and bottom 10 cows
Cow wt (kg)
Adj calf wt(kg)
Efficiency (%)
Top 10CS 3.7
579 296(1.28kg/d)
51.1
Bottom 10CS 3.9
700 219(0.91kg/d)
31.2
Top and bottom 10 cows 2012
any improvement??Cow wt
(kg)Adj calf wt
(kg)Efficiency
(%)
Top 10CS 2.4
597 316(1.36kg/d)
52.9
Bottom 10CS 3
686 213(0.87kg/d)
31.0
Where to next?
• Tesco AA scheme
• Glenarm Estates Shorthorn scheme
• Improving efficiency?
• Increasing calf weight?
• Decreasing cow weight?
• Reducing silage requirement?