We need to try lot harder to improve heat detection rates

摘要

Vet John Cook, UK technical services director with Genus ABS, believes the inappropriate use of some assessment measures can send confusing messages about herd fertility and urges a greater focus on heat detection accuracy in the first place. Gettingcows back in calf continues to be a major challenge on many dairy farms in the country and this is not helped by the trends in the way cows express heat. Twenty years ago, the average duration of oestrus was around 18 hours, but today a cow giving over 45 litres is likely to only be in oestrus for just 6 hours.