72 | nzdairy “Body condition scores have the single biggest impact on pregnancy rate.” Good planning key in lead up to mating How healthy the herd is by mid-September goes back to how the cows were fed and treated through winter and how they were transitioned at the start of calving. Kim Newth As Canterbury’s dairy farmers come up for air after calving, another critical phase is underway with mating just around the corner. Cows need to be gaining condition to help ensure herd reproductive performance is maximised. Making a plan to prepare for an efficient mating season should be front of mind for dairy farmers at this time of year, according to Mid Canterbury’s Dairy Vets. Founded by Nathan Back and Anna Tarver in 2013, Dairy Vets are experienced in all aspects of herd health with a skilled team of veterinarians and vet technicians working closely with dairy farmers from north of the Rakaia to the Rangitata River. “It is a good time for farmers to reflect on what they want to achieve from the upcoming mating season,” says Anna, who has advanced expertise in dairy cattle medicine, a professional interest in reproduction, mastitis and infectious disease and is an accredited BCS scorer. “We put an emphasis on reviewing how things went for the last mating, what farmers want to do better and what their specific farm goals are. It’s important to have a detailed plan as to how these goals can be achieved.” Animal health has a big influence on reproductive performance. How healthy the herd is by mid-September goes back to how the cows were fed and treated through winter and how they were transitioned at the start of calving. “Right now, though, farmers need to focus on the current body condition of their cows. A lot of farms in Mid Canterbury come to us to condition score their cows on an individual basis, with every cow assigned a certain score that then determines how the herd is managed. Some may go on OAD or a small herd may get fed extra supplement or be preferentially fed in other ways to help them gain weight ahead of mating.” What the team has noticed, time and again, is that body condition scores have the single biggest impact on pregnancy rate in that those cows scoring 4.5 achieve significantly better results than cows scoring 4 or below. Knowing whether the herd is meeting BCS targets at this time is important while there is still a window left ahead of mating to boost cows with lower body condition. “It is something that farmers can work on - that six weeks to the start of mating can make a difference. With a good body condition, cows are more likely to be cycled and ready at the start of mating while cows with poor body condition may not be cycling at mating and that can have a very big impact on your results. “Ten days before the start of mating, farmers need to have identified their non-cyclers so they can be put in a synchrony programme [hormonal intervention] to help them get pregnant early. The focus in our practice is very much on getting the cows pregnant to maximise days in milk.” DAIRY SERVICES » Dairy Vets Experienced Dairy Vets Focused on whole farm performance Rakaia and Ashburton offices Dedicated to dairying - we provide a dairy only veterinary service Excellent personalised service tailored to your farm system Competitively priced products and services Office: Ashburton (03) 308 0493 Rakaia (03) 302 7818 418West Street, Ashburton 7700 9 Railway Terrace East, Rakaia 7710 Email: info@dairyvets.co.nz Web: www.dairyvets.co.nz In Mid Canterbury, mating starts in the third week of October. Having a professional, dairy dedicated vet team providing support and guidance to make the right interventions at the right time will pave the way to better reproductive performance and a better milking season ahead.
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