Reproductive management of dairy herds in New Zealand: Attitudes, priorities and constraints perceived by farmers managing seasonal-calving, pasture-based herds in four regions

Brownlie, Tom; Weir, AM; Tarbotton, Ian S.; Morton, J. M.; Heuer, C; McDougall, S

doi:10.1080/00480169.2011.547167

Cited by 16 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…herd size was 561 ( ±279) cows, being managed on 164 (±72) ha, by 3.3 (±1.3) staff members. There was significant regional variation with the two South Island sites having larger herds, greater area and more staff than North Island sites (Brownlie et al, 2011b). …”

Section: Descriptive Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Details of the study design have been previously described (Brownlie et al, 2011b and. In summary, herds from four regions across New Zealand (Waikato, Taranaki, North Canterbury and South Canterbury) were enrolled in May 2009.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Social science approaches to improve understanding and implementation of change A key conclusion from the interviews with KDM undertaken at the outset of this study was that there was a high level of farmer satisfaction with reproductive performance, and this was considered a likely barrier for improvement (Brownlie et al, 2011b). Marketing principles suggest that changing attitudes and behaviour requires a consistent and enduring message (Vakratsas and Ambler, 1999).…”

Section: Economics Of Involvement In Incalfmentioning

confidence: 95%

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Use of herd management programmes to improve the reproductive performance of dairy cattle

McDougall¹,

Heuer

Morton³

et al. 2014

Animal

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There has been a long history of herd health and production management programmes in many dairy industries around the world, but evidence for the efficacy of such programmes is limited. In response to a perceived decline in fertility of dairy cows, a herd reproductive management programme (InCalf) was introduced in New Zealand in 2007. This programme uses a management cycle approach that includes an assessment of the current herd status, identification of areas for improvement, development of a plan, implementation of this plan and finally a review process. The programme uses facilitators who work with farmers either in a oneto-one manner or in a formalised group setting that involves a series of meetings over a 12-month period (the farmer action group). The hypothesis that involvement in a reproductive management programme would improve herd reproductive performance was tested using a herd-level controlled randomised study (the National Herd Fertility Study) involving herds in four geographic regions of New Zealand over 2 years. Within each region, herds were ranked on the basis of the 6-week in-calf rate (i.e. the proportion of the herd pregnant in the first 6 weeks of the seasonal breeding programme) in the year preceding commencement of the study and then randomly assigned to be involved in a farmer action group or left as untreated controls. The key outcome variable of the study was the 6-week in-calf rate. Pregnancy diagnosis was undertaken at 12 weeks after the start of the seasonal breeding programme, which allowed determination of conception dates and hence calculation of the 6-week in-calf rate. Additional measurements including heifer live weight and body condition score (pre-calving and pre-mating) were undertaken to test whether treatment resulted in measurable changes in some of the key determinants of herd reproductive performance. Involvement in the farmer action group of InCalf resulted in a 2 percentage point increase in the 6-week in-calf rate ( P = 0.05). The following additional observations were made in herds involved in the farmer action group relative to control herds: heifers had live weight closer to target; the pre-mating body condition score of cows was higher; and oestrous detection rates were higher. It was concluded that involvement in this herd reproductive management programme improved reproductive outcomes in this New Zealand study. However, to achieve substantial improvements in herd reproductive performance at the regional or national level a greater response to the programme and a high uptake of such programmes is required, as well as use of other industry-level tools such as genetic management programmes.Keywords: dairy cows, fertility, randomised controlled trial, management programme Implications A planned animal health approach to dairy herd fertility was demonstrated, through a controlled randomised study, to improve fertility at herd level. The programme tested (InCalf) used a management cycle approach, that is assessment of current performance against goals and objecti...

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Section: Descriptive Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Economics Of Involvement In Incalfmentioning

confidence: 95%

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Use of herd management programmes to improve the reproductive performance of dairy cattle

McDougall¹,

Heuer

Morton³

et al. 2014

Animal

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“…There was also a positive association between milk yield per cow and increased use of data analysis by the farmers themselves (Oultram et al, personal communication). However, a study conducted in New Zealand identified a mismatch between perceived and actual fertility performance on herds and this was thought to be a block to improvement in fertility and engagement with extension (training) programmes (Brownlie et al, 2011). Adoption and use by all farm staff of oestrus detection technology may be limited by farmer belief that knowing their cows is their job and they do not want to be replaced by technology (Rehman et al, 2007).…”

Section: Use Of Data and Kpismentioning

confidence: 99%

Herd monitoring to optimise fertility in the dairy cow: making the most of herd records, metabolic profiling and ultrasonography (research into practice)

Smith

Oultram

Dobson

2014

Animal

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Fertility performance is intrinsically linked to the quality of the animal environment, overall management and nutrition. This review describes the use of dairy herd records, metabolic profiles and ultrasonographic findings at veterinary fertility examinations to monitor and manage dairy herd fertility. After calving, a cow has to overcome a series of physiological hurdles before establishing a pregnancy. The selection of timely key performance indicators (KPIs) that monitor specific events in the postpartum and service periods is vital to correctly identify problems and their potential causes that hopefully can be rectified. Cumulative sum charts are the timeliest monitors of efficiency of detection of oestrus, insemination outcome and relationship between postpartum events and fertility, with the point of inflection indicating when a change took place. Other KPIs use data from specific cohorts, adding an inherent delay to when change is indicated. Metabolic profiles and milk constituent data allow monitoring of nutritional adequacy and developments to offer new possibilities of on-farm systems for regular measurements of milk constituents (including progesterone) and energy status. Examination of the reproductive tract can be used to indicate individual and herd fertility status but the currently available detail is under used. Recent advances in ultrasonography can improve the diagnosis of reproductive tract pathophysiology still further but the clinical use of these methods in veterinary practice needs further evaluation. Development of new KPIs to exploit research findings are needed to ensure this knowledge is used to improve on-farm performance.Keywords: cattle, fertility records, metabolic, ultrasound ImplicationsThis review describes how dairy herd records, measurement of metabolic compounds and detection of the physiological state of a cows reproductive tract by ultrasonography can be used to monitor reproductive and nutritional management of a herd. It guides the selection of timely key performance indicators (KPIs) that monitor specific events in the period after calving and during the service period. It suggests the development of new KPIs to exploit research findings to improve on-farm performance. By deploying these findings farmers could improve cattle fertility and herd profitability.

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“…Additionally, without a systematic framework to monitor and compare actual levels of reproductive performance key management decision makers of herds are less likely to uptake reproductive advice and extension programmes, and therefore positive behavioural changes are less likely (Brownlie et al 2011).…”

Section: Wet Cowmentioning

confidence: 99%

Risk factors affecting the reproductive outcome of beef breeding herds in North Australia

McCosker¹

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Approximately half of Australia's beef breeding herds are located in northern Australia with reproductive performance being identified as having a significant impact on the profitability of these businesses. Although many of the risk factors affecting the reproductive performance of beef cattle have been previously identified, the relative contribution of major risk factors to key measures of performance, after partitioning the effects of other confounding variables, is lacking, particularly for extensive tropical rangeland systems typical of northern Australia.The overall objective of the research described in this thesis was to, i) describe the reproductive performance of commercial beef breeding cattle in northern Australia and, ii) determine, and quantify the effect of the major risk factors associated with three key measures of reproductive performance (lactating cows becoming pregnant within 4 months of calving, cows failing to become pregnant within an approximate 12 month reproductive cycle, and foetal/calf loss between confirmed pregnancy and weaning). It was hypothesised that the major risk factors determining the probability of lactating cows becoming pregnant within four months of calving are similar to those determining the probability of foetal/calf loss between confirmed pregnancy and weaning. To address these objectives, a prospective population-based epidemiological study was conducted between 2007 and 2011 involving 78 commercial beef properties located across northern Australia.Attainable and typical levels of reproductive performance for cow-age cohorts were described using a dataset containing 114,154 annual production cycles of performance data that represented approximately 78,000 heifers and cows managed in 142 breeding groups. Properties were assigned to one of four broad country types following a subjective assessment of the production potential of the grazing land and cross-referencing with pasture and vegetation descriptions reported by the herd owners/managers.The typical overall reproductive performance of cows in the Northern Forest (57 live calves at muster per 100 surviving mature cows), was considerably lower than that for the other country types (71-83 live calves at muster per 100 surviving mature cows). This was due to typically much lower percentage of cows becoming pregnant within 4 months of calving, higher foetal and calf loss and higher estimated mortality of pregnant cows in the Northern Forest compared to the other genotypes. These findings are consistent with the generally poorer quantity and quality of pasture, ii harsher environment and higher disease risk of cattle managed in the Northern Forest compared to the other country types.Country type and predicted calving period were top-order determinants of pregnancy within 4 months of calving while lactating. The effect of cow-age class cohort was dependent on country type with the expected occurrence of lactating cows pregnant within 4 months of calving estimated to be 23. 1-53.8, 38.1-61.6, 35.4-56.5 and 38.5...

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Reproductive management of dairy herds in New Zealand: Attitudes, priorities and constraints perceived by farmers managing seasonal-calving, pasture-based herds in four regions

Cited by 16 publications

References 19 publications

Use of herd management programmes to improve the reproductive performance of dairy cattle

Use of herd management programmes to improve the reproductive performance of dairy cattle

Herd monitoring to optimise fertility in the dairy cow: making the most of herd records, metabolic profiling and ultrasonography (research into practice)

Risk factors affecting the reproductive outcome of beef breeding herds in North Australia

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