Select Sires

Take Control of Heat Detection (Part One)
Transcript of Select Sires' Reproductive Moment Program
on DairyLine Radio, Which Aired Sept. 30, 2004
with Ray Nebel,
professor of reproductive physiology,
Virginia Tech

This week’s Reproductive Moment is the first in a two-part series with Dr. Ray Nebel, professor of reproductive physiology at Virginia Tech. Over the next two weeks Ray will discuss 10 ways to take control of heat detection.

Ray, we know that heat detection plays the biggest role in successfully breeding cows and it has been reported that eight times out of 10 poor heat detection is the number one problem in reproductive management. So we are thankful for you being with us today to look at ways to improve heat detection rates.

Number one on the list is establishing a standard operating procedure.

Well, there are certain things that have to be done. So protocols need to be set. Those protocols need to be followed by everyone on the farm. We want everyone pulling in the same direction, or everyone to be on board with that team. So, if we are going to check heat for standing heats, or going to check chalk, or KAMARS®; whatever the protocols that are set on that farm need to be established and followed by everyone that is responsible for that duty.

Number two, you have utilizing records.

Well, really records should be the baseline or the foundation of our whole program. We need to know who we are looking for. Have we seen them in heat prior to when we are going out there today, and who in the most likelihood will we find today? The records should give us the foundation so that we don’t go out there blind. Who are we looking for? Who has the highest probability of being in heat today?

Number three on the list is group interaction.

The group interaction, because we are not really relying on one cow to tell us which of her herd mates are actually in estrus, so it is not that we just go out and look at her and look for a twinkle in the eye. We are actually looking for a group of cows that will tell us who in that group is ready for, at the time, insemination.

Number four on the list is minimizing sore feet.

Well, more and more cows are spending a good bit of their time on concrete, and as we know being human – the longer we spend standing on concrete, we are going to get sore feet. So, if we can minimize the time they stand on concrete, or have them going through foot baths, or to get them off concrete and onto dirt pastures or paddocks, we would minimize the time standing on concrete and that is really where a lot of that stress comes from. Also, ration them. Rations that are higher in concentrates a lot of times will give the cow a sub-clinical acidosis which would also affect the hoof maintenance and how well that hoof grows and the toughness of that hoof.

Number five, observe your cows as many times a day as possible.

Timing really comes down to the cows really being just a short period of time that the cows express estrus. On average, our recent research has shown that from the first mount to last mount it is roughly seven hours, and that we have about eight and a half mounts during that time period, so, a little bit more than one mount per hour. So, there is not a lot of activity, so it is important that we spend our time wisely because the expression of estrus is very minimal. So, we need to go out there at least three times a day to identify who are the ones most likely, so that we can identify the activity that is going on.

Thank you Ray, next week we will round out the top ten ways to take control of heat detection. That is Ray Nebel, professor of reproductive physiology at Virginia Tech.

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