News December ‘21 - January ‘22
Fertility MATTERS
The cows are healthy and you’re feeding high quality forages. Your breeders are highly skilled, synch protocol compliance is spot-on, and your activity monitoring is dialed in. Your team is executing your plan perfectly and yet conception rates are not quite where you want them. Now what? It may be time to look at your sire selections and the health and fertility traits they bring to the equation. The genetics you chose to introduce in your herd WILL impact all areas of their performance including reproduction. The only question is, will it be a positive or negative impact? Some recently published data analyses1 for DHI records over the last decade showed some interesting trends in reproduction of the Holstein and Jersey breeds. I’ll save you the meticulous task of reading the report and tell you the bottom line. Reproduction in Holsteins has improved, and has not in the Jersey breed. In ten years’ time, Holsteins have decreased the number of days open by 19 days while Jerseys have decreased it by one day. First service conception rates have increased in the Holstein breed by 6%, and the Jersey breed saw no change.
1st service conception rate
2009
20192
Jerseys
40
40
Holsteins
32
38
While the Jersey breed has been notorious for fertile cows, the recent trend confirms Jersey breeders have put little to no focus on fertility traits in their genetic selections. In contrast, Holstein breeders have put great focus on daughter fertility traits over the previous ten years. Let’s take a look at the genetic traits that most
likely have had the biggest impact on reproductive performance trends in this report. Daughter Pregnancy Rate (DPR) DPR as a genetic measure represents a percentage above or below the industry average preg. rate. For example, daughters of a bull with a DPR of +1.5, are expected to have a preg. rate that is 1.5% higher than those sired by a bull with a DPR of 0. DPR measures only the outcome of a reproduction program (a successful pregnancy), so this is the most broadspectrum genetic trait related directly to reproduction and can be affected by everything from cystic cows to conception rates and abortions. Cow Conception Rate and Heifer Conception Rate (CCR and HCR) CCR and HCR eliminate all the unknowns and look solely at the number of animals that got pregnant, divided by the number of animals that were bred. This is the likelihood of a bulls’ offspring to conceive at the time of insemination and is again a measure above or below average with each unit representing one percentile. If your herd shows timely heats, minimal
Reproductive status of cows in DHI programs and bred using artificial insemination.2Calving interval average was for 2018
1
Cole Mark
Reproductive & Genetic Consultant abortions, and only struggles with conceiving at the time of insemination, this is a very targeted trait that may help. Genetics are overwhelmingly influential on nearly every aspect of a cow’s life, and reproduction is no different. Therefore, it is vital to take these traits into some consideration during sire selections. Many indexes, such as Net Merit Dollars, Dairy Wellness Profit Dollars® and Herd Health Profit Dollars™ do incorporate fitness and fertility traits into the formulation and are also a great way to sort bulls. But if your herd is struggling with reproduction, using DPR or HCR and CCR as secondary selection criteria to put added emphasis on this area can be highly effective over time. Remember, reproduction and genetics are a long game, and today’s decisions will impact the reproduction and profitability of your herd five, and even ten years down the line. Make sure the impact is a good one! Scan the QR code to see the full report regarding reproductive status of cows in DHI bred using artificial insemination.
Diagnostic Test Options Diagnostic Test
Sample Type
Turnaround
PCR
Milk, Whole Blood, Tissue
10 days
PCR
Whole Blood
10 days
ELISA
Serum, Milk
5 days
ELISA
Milk, Serum, Tissue
5 days
The forecast calls for a Woolover!
A1/A2 BLV
BVD PCR
Milk, Tissue, Whole Blood
10 days
Pooled PCR (Min 10/Max 20)
Tissue, Whole Blood
10 days
Pooled PCR (Min 20/Max 250)
Milk
10 days
ELISA
Milk, Serum
5 days
PCR
Fecal
10 days
Pooled PCR (Min 3/Max 5)
Fecal
10 days
PCR
Milk
10 days
Protect calves from the rapidly changing weather.
Johne’s
Order your supply of Woolovers today.
Original Woolover
Retail: $42
On Sale: $32
• Keeps calves warm and dry, promoting growth and health.
Mastitis PCR Complete 16
Milk
2 days
Pooled Complete 16 (Min 3/Max 5)
Milk
2 days
Contagious 4
Milk
2 days
Pooled Contagious 4 (Min 3/Max 5)
Milk
2 days
Single Mastitis (Staph aureus OR M. bovis)
Milk
2 days
Pooled Single Mastitis (Min 3/Max 5)
Milk
2 days
ELISA
Serum
3 days
ELISA
Serum, Milk
5 days
ELISA
Serum
1 day
ELISA
Milk
1 day
• Breathable blend of 70% wool and 30% polyester, wicks moisture away and protects in warm, cold and wet weather. • Closed front protects the chest, keeping vital organs warm. • University research shows performance gains and reduced sickness in calves that wear a Woolover. • Belly strap and rear leg straps for a secure fit.
NEFA
• Available in three sizes for the perfect fit: small fits Jersey calves (77-99 lbs.), medium fits Holstein calves (100-120 lbs.), and large fits calves 3-weeks to 3-months old (121+ lbs.).
Neospora Pregnancy
Additional savings on orders of 50 or more. Ask for details.
Ask your CentralStar DHI Specialist for more information.
www.mycentralstar.com 800.631.3510
Avoid the Performance
Roller Coaster...
Low Production • Poor Reproduction • Poor Feed Conversion • Abortions • Ketosis
Feed your herd DTX™ DTX™ Keeps them consistent by: • Helping modulate the immune system • Providing insurance against environmental stressors • Providing broad spectrum protection
DON’T LET YOUR HERD HAVE A BAD DAY! 800.631.3510
10% OFF ENDS 12/31/21
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