Breeding Series 2023 in association with Eurogene, LIC and AI Services
The breeding policy on dairy farms is going though a number of adjustments due to changes in policy and the increased use of sexed and beef semen.
Producing high-quality beef calves from the dairy herd has never been more important, and the use of beef semen is set to increase.
The recent changes to policy and nitrates regulations will see a large number of dairy herds impacted, especially those with yields of over 6,500kg of milk.
These changes will impact a large number of farmers, including Co. Kilkenny farmer Micheal Bergin.
Michael farms alongside his father and together they milk a herd of 100 high economic breeding index (EBI) Holstein Friesian cows, with average yields of 7,350L and 600kg of milk solids.
He also sells heifers and breeding bulls and operates a calf-to-beef enterprise from calves from his herd.
Changes
There have been a number of recent changes to the EBI. For one, it has seen the introduction of a carbon sub-index, which going forward will have an impact on breeding decisions made by dairy farmers.
But more significantly for dairy farmers in 2023, are the changes to the nitrates regulations and the introduction of banding.
Bands Milk yields Excretion rate Band 1 <4,500kg of milk 80kg organic N/cow Band 2 4,500-6,500kg of milk 92kg organic N/cow Band 3 >6,500kg of milk 106kg organic N/cow
Michael has been placed in Band 3, which means that his cows have been assigned the highest organic nitrogen (N) figure.
This could result in massive cuts or changes to the system operated by Michael on his farm.
Breeding plans
The use of sexed semen is expected to increase again this year on farms, with Michael planning to use sexed semen on his heifers.
Unlike some farms, conventional dairy semen will always have a role to play on the farm, with bulls being sold to artificial insemination (AI) stations and for breeding to other farms.
Michael, unlike many dairy farmers, keeps nearly all the calves that are born on the farm, with a calf-to-beef system being operated on the farm.
He also sells a number of heifers each year, along with bulls for breeding.
Producing a saleable beef calf from the dairy herd has never been more important, with an increased focus being placed on this.
Michael has placed an emphasis on the quality of the beef calves coming from his herd, with continental sires being used.
It is important that different sires are used on the different types of cows within the herd. Michael uses sires with higher calving difficultly on his bigger cows.
He said once he believes the cow is big enough he is happy to use a sire with a higher calving difficulty.