Breeding maiden heifers on the out farm

Teagasc recommends that maiden heifers are bred with dairy AI as these are the most fertile animals in the herd and have the highest EBI. Make sure to target your heifers with sexed or conventional dairy AI to maximise the rate of genetic gain in your herd. Stephen Moore, Teagasc Researcher explains

Teagasc recommends that maiden heifers are bred with dairy AI because they are the most fertile animals in the herd and they have the highest EBI. Make sure to target your heifers with sexed or conventional dairy AI to maximise the rate of genetic gain in your herd.

In this short clip, Stephen Moore of Teagasc explains how by using dairy sires for at least one round of inseminations the number of beef stock bulls needed to breed the repeating heifers can be reduced typically by two thirds for each round of AI used. Laura Hannon, dairy farmer from Co. Meath also speaks about her plan to AI the heifers.

For more information go to Breeding Week