The total cost of production for English suckler herds is around £450-£800 per cow per year, so it is vital that as many cows as possible produce a viable calf every 365 days.
In a 100-cow herd, increasing the number of calves reared per 100 cows put to the bull by 2% could increase calf sales by £800-£1000 per year. Relatively small improvements can make a significant difference to the bottom line.
There are two main ways to improve suckler cow fertility; increasing conception rates in the herd and reducing the interval between calving and conception.
Recording individual cow and calf performance is essential for managing fertility. It reveals the animals that are most fertile and most economic to keep and those that should be culled.
Maintaining a compact calving period is key, but this requires discipline at serving time, and only allowing bulls to run with the herd for a defined period of time – usually nine to ten weeks.
Cow management, nutrition and body condition score impact on fertility and performance throughout the year, not just during the breeding season. The hormones which control fertility and nutrition are closely linked. Under normal conditions dietary energy is the main factor limiting the reproductive performance of suckler cows.
Click here to download the EBLEX Beef BRP manual on optimising suckler herd fertility.
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