The breeding season has started on most dairy farms, with artificial insemination (AI) being the choice for most at this stage – but many will be using a stockbull as well.
Most farmers will be using dairy AI to obtain their replacements, while also using beef AI on cows that replacements are not wanted from.
After around six weeks of breeding, many farmers will then turn out the stockbull. For some, this may be done much earlier than six weeks.
Stockbull
Any stockbull on your farm needs to be fertility tested before breeding gets underway. An infertile bull could lead to catastrophic results when scanning time comes around.
If the bull has recently been purchased the likelihood is that he was sold fertility tested – but it may be worthwhile to double-check.
It is also important to note that a bull that has been on your farm for a number of years and has worked in the past doesn’t mean that he will work again.
There’s a wide range of things that could impact on a bull’s fertility and result in him becoming infertile or sub-fertile.
The issue with not checking a bull’s fertility is how long it will take to notice that there is an issue without testing him before turnout.
At the very minimum you are going to lose three weeks from the breeding season, but the likelihood is you will lose much longer.
Turning out the bull
There are also a number of things that need to be considered before the bull is turned out with the cows.
How many cows are potentially not in calf needs to be determined, as well as whether or not the bull will be able to cover these cows.
If too many cows are not in calf the bull may struggle to cover them all and you may have a higher empty rate.
You should also be continuing with AI for about a week after the bull has been turned out. This is to give him time to get up and running.