Setting the targets for spring breeding 2022

Teagasc advises that 90% of cows and heifers should calve in the first six weeks of the calving season. Nationally only 65% calve in this time. In a Dairy Breeding series factors such as maximising three-week in-calf rate, treatment of non-cycling cows and heat detection will be examined.

In pasture-based systems of milk production, the three-week submission rate target is 90% which is critical in order to achieve a six-week calving rate of 90%.  Doing so facilitates long lactations and high levels of milk production.

While nationally this has improved over the past five years, our analysis shows that the effect on profitability is still substantial.  On average the national cost is €206 less profit per cow per lactation.  In the accompanying series of video clips presented by Dr. Stephen Moore, Teagasc Moorepark extracted from a recent webinar conducted by Teagasc on dairy breeding, we discuss the major factors to achieving a high six-week calving rate.

The focus will be on compact seasonal calving.

Find out more from Dr. Stephen Moore in the video clip below

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