Upper Hunter Gears Up For Breeding

THE cattle breeding season in the Upper Hunter begins in October and runs through December, but the three months prior to joining is critical to ensure heifers and cows are in the right condition to successfully calve.

Approximately 60 percent of fertilised embryos make it to a live calf, regardless of if it is through breeding technology or a bull serving the heifer and the nutrition of the heifer or cows can make all the difference, explained Brendan Coonan, owner of Northern Artificial Breeders.

“Good fertility starts three months prior to joining and while you can’t control the genetics, you can control the nutrition and nutrition makes the world of difference,” said Mr Coonan.

“It is harder during a drought, but there are some small things you can do, for example some supplements that ensure the animals gut is working so that it is getting the most out of the feed and then there is the type of feed,” he said.

“There is no point in filling them up with a bucket load of grain every day because the right amount will help, but the wrong amount will just cost you a fortune and not help; it’s about getting the balance right,” he said.

“If they have too much nitrogen in their blood the embryo doesn’t attach to the uterus,” he said.

“The heifer needs to be in a positive energy balance and the cow is sampling how much energy she has all the time, which needs to be rising for several weeks before they are joined, because that affects if they will get in calf or not,” he said.

“The four weeks after they are joined is critical as well; you can’t look after them until they are joined and then let them go, you need to keep things consistent before and after joining,” Brendan Coonan said.

Calving Early

Cows which calve early in the season have a greater chance of calving well the next season and are more likely to remain part of the herd.

“If you calve for three months and you can get half of them in calf within the first month, you are well ahead of someone who only gets a third in the first month,” said Brendan.

“Once a cow calves, the one that has four months to get in calf again has a better chance than the one that has only two months; there is more time for the cow to recover, start cycling and will be ready to go when the bull is introduced,” he said.

“It is really important to get a heifer’s first calving right, because it sets her up for the rest of her breeding life.

“There are a lot of commercial breeders coming into AI for their maiden heifers, they can join them to a potentially easy calving bull and get them out early to calve and they are well set up for the next season.

“A maiden heifer is also easier to handle because you aren’t dealing with cows and calves in the yard, the nutrition is easier because you are not dealing with a calf and with AI genetics you can produce a good calf.

“Often a heifer’s first calve is considered second rate, because they don’t have the growth, but with AI it can make all the difference and produce a valuable calf and set the heifer up for the rest of her breeding.

“There are more commercial breeders coming into AI and they are noticing the difference, it takes a couple of years to really realise all the benefits, but once you start you are 12 months ahead of where you would have been.

“Buying straws from a proven bull is much more financially reasonable than having bulls worth $30,000 running around the paddock.

“In a commercial basis you can use a really good proven bull and let somebody else prove him and then you can use him for a reasonable price,” he said.

“Once you’ve brought a bull you are committed to them for a while,” Brendan Coonan said.

Brendan Coonan has organised an information day for cattle breeders to get the latest information on how to make the most out of this breeding season and hear from leaders in the cattle business about market trends.

Michael Crowley, general manager producer consultation and adoption with Meat and Livestock Australia, will discuss genetics, emerging technologies and a market update. The market insights can help producers make better decisions about where their livestock are going to deliver the best value and best returns. Proper planning for breeding can allow producers to target the best market for their herd.

Nikki Henderson, from Animal Innovations will cover the nutritional requirements for joining, helping producers get the balance right to achieve the best chance of conception and producing a healthy calf.

Ken Pettit, from Zee Tag and Tru-Test will be available to discuss MiHub and data recording.

• WHEN: Thursday, August 8, 2019.
• WHERE: Merriwa Showground, Dutton Street, Merriwa.
• RSVP: 0427 417 148 or beth@northernab.com.au