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Related Experiment Videos

Measuring dairy herd fertility.

R J Esslemont1

  • 1Department of Agriculture, University of Reading.

The Veterinary Record
|September 5, 1992
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Herd fertility management requires an integrated index, not just the calving index, to account for culling rates and calving intervals. This approach reveals financial losses due to inefficient practices, guiding better herd management strategies.

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Area of Science:

  • Veterinary Medicine
  • Animal Science
  • Agricultural Economics

Background:

  • Traditional calving index overlooks herd culling, a key indicator of reproductive inefficiency.
  • Separate physical indicators for herd fertility are complex and may not reflect overall management effectiveness.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate herd fertility using an integrated index that incorporates calving interval, culling rate, and pregnancy rate.
  • To assess the financial implications of inefficient herd management on a per-cow basis.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of data from 91 herds (14,524 cows) examining various physical fertility indices.
  • Calculation of a "CIA calving rate" adjusted for calving interval.
  • Development of a financial fertility index based on costs associated with calving interval, culling, and pregnancy rates.

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Main Results:

  • Average herd calving interval was 380.3 days with a 23.1% culling rate.
  • Top quartile herds (based on CIA calving rate) achieved 82% recalving with a 16.7% culling rate.
  • Average herd financial loss was £62/cow/year compared to target levels.

Conclusions:

  • An integrated fertility index provides a more accurate assessment of herd management efficiency than the calving index alone.
  • Inefficient herd fertility management leads to significant financial losses, highlighting the need for improved reproductive strategies.