Select Sires

Reproductive Management Practices
and Vaccination Programs
Transcript of Select Sires' Reproductive Moment Program
on DairyLine Radio, Which Aired April 15, 2004
with Jodie Pennington
professor and dairy extension specialist,
University of Arkansas

In this week’s Reproductive Moment we continue our discussion with Dr. Jodie Pennington, professor and dairy extension specialist at the University of Arkansas. Dr. Pennington, we are talking about reproductive management practices, and we start off with the vaccination programs.

It is very important for producers to work with their veterinarian to vaccinate for reproductive diseases and other diseases in the area. We don’t see this very often, but occasionally we do have herds that will have problems with something like leptospirosis, and it can have a big impact on reproduction for the herd. We recommend that they work with their local veterinarian because he will know which diseases are more prevalent in that particular area, or that herd.

What is the timing on that visit? Maybe once a month?

It varies a lot with the size of the herd. We like to see the veterinarian come out at least once a month. That way, he can palpate cows that have had trouble calving. He can determine the ones that aren’t pregnant, and maybe try to get those cycling and coming back in heat before they are non-profitable. In larger herds, we actually have veterinarians that come out every week. They are palpating large numbers of animals routinely. If you have perhaps 100 cows calving a month, then it would be worth having someone come out once every week or two. But, with fewer cows calving, like our typical herd here in Arkansas that calves perhaps 10-to-12 animals per month, on average, once per month would be about all you could justify having the veterinarian come out.

You also mentioned, in some of these larger herds with more than one group, to have a service bull out there.

We do like people to try to get the animals bred first by artificial insemination. This increases the chances of having an animal of high genetic vein to produce milk later. Using artificial insemination produces good records, so that you know what you are doing. As a general rule, most good managers will be better off in the long run using artificial insemination.

The odds are that sometimes you will have to cull a cow because of reproductive problems?

Yes, in larger herds especially we see animals not getting pregnant and this is always difficult financially because of the large costs we have in these replacement heifers. But there will be animals that will get too low in milk production. Then it is difficult to justify keeping them until the next lactation. This is why it is very important to have good records, set up a heat-detection program, breed at the proper time and try to get those animals pregnant as soon as possible after calving.

To wrap up our series, Dr. Pennington, you emphasize the goals and the records. If you don’t have those two in order, then things could go haywire, couldn’t they?

Yes, they could. It is easy to get busy and let things slip, especially when you have got a lot of other things to do on the dairy farm. So, if you set those goals and continually go back to them, then it sets a benchmark for you to know what you want to do. And, if you get a little bit below those goals, then perhaps it encourages you also to put forth a little more effort in trying to get to that level. It is very important to have those goals and records to accurately reflect heat periods, breeding periods, and things that are going on reproductively on the farm.

That is Dr. Jodie Pennington, professor and dairy extension specialist at the University of Arkansas.

Select Sires Inc., 11740 U.S. 42 North, Plain City, Ohio 43064 / Phone: (614) 873-4683 Fax: (614) 873-5751