A breeding update from Newford

With a planned finish date of July 1, Michael Fagan provides an update on how the 10-week breeding season is progressing at Newford Farm.

After 82% of the Newford cows calved in a six-week window and again using 100% AI in 2024, breeding started on April 22 and there were 76 mature cows and 23 maiden heifers put forward for AI.

Cow performance

83% of the mature herd were artificially inseminated in the first three weeks of breeding, and 100% of the herd were inseminated within the first 6.5 weeks. Performance was positive and up until Tuesday, June 18, 50 of the artificially inseminated cows had passed the 3+ weeks since service. Of the remaining cows yet to pass this marker, nine have received their first service, 14 are on their second serve and a further three have received their third AI straw.

Figure 1: A Hereford cross Friesian cow at Newford. A sixth calver, she calved on February 17 2024. Pictured with her Grange Wood Royal Oak heifer calf, which weighted 54kg at birth at a calving score 1.

The once-a-day AI rule was used again on the farm this year, with cows inseminated once each day at midday. If a cow was inseminated at 12 noon and she was still showing signs of standing heat again that evening, that same cow was served again the next day at 12 noon. As it stands, seven cows out of the 76 mature cows have been inseminated twice on two consecutive days using this rule.

Figure 2: An Angus cross Friesian first calver boosting a Replacement Index value of €170. Pictured with her Ewdenvale Ivor heifer calf, born on 23 March 2024, which weighed 43kg at birth at a calving score 1. The dam was AI'd on May 12 2024.

Heifer performance

All 23 maiden heifers were inseminated once since breeding started on April 22. These heifers were inseminated for 6.5 weeks. 18 of the artificially inseminated heifers had passed the 3+ weeks since service. Of the remainder yet to reach the three weeks since service, one heifer is on her first service, while four are on their second serve.

Newford at BEEF2024

Be sure to visit the Newford Farm stand at BEEF2024, the Teagasc Beef Open Day in Teagasc Grange on June 26. Located in the Suckler Beef Village, Stephen Frend, Farm Manager of Newford Farm, will be happy to discuss all the happenings on our suckler beef farm in Skrine, Co. Roscommon, including: the 2024 breeding season; animal performance; grassland management; and the initiatives at Newford for biodiversity and sustainable farming.

This article was adapted from the Newford newsletter. More information on Newford is available here.

Click here for further details on the Teagasc National Beef Open Day, BEEF2024.